Rurouni Cardcaptor: Ties Across Time
by Animercom
Summary: Thrown into the 11th year of the Meiji Era, Sakura and Kero meet and befriend Kenshin, forming the Rurouni Cardcaptor team. Their aim is to capture Clow Cards that have become much more dangerous than before, especially when Kenshin's enemies use the Clow Cards for their own goals. In a time overshadowed by the horrors of war, Kenshin and Sakura must learn the true meaning of hope.
1. Prologue

Hello, everyone! This is a crossover between Rurouni Kenshin and Cardcaptor Sakura. I know this is an odd combination. I once had a dream in which Kenshin traveled as a rurouni with Sakura as his little sister and this story was born. To make things easier for newcomers to the two series, I have added explanations about the characters and their world (and made a dictionary of terms at the end as well). People familiar with the series can just skip over it. This story is rated Teen mostly for violence and Sano might make a couple of vague references to Kenshin and Kaoru being alone. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor characters.

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PROLOGUE

Normally Kinomoto Sakura didn't have that much trouble waking up. Today, however, was an exception. She was generally a cheerful girl and full of life, but she didn't want to wake and face the day.

Kero, the magical beast guardian of the Clow Cards and Sakura's friend, flew by Sakura's head when she didn't stop the alarm clock. " _Oi_. Sakura. Are ya all right? Do ya have a fever? You've been acting weird since yesterday."

 _Syaoran-kun always is worried about me_ , Sakura thought, but she pushed the thought aside. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about her relationship with Syaoran or how he felt about wanting to worry Kero further, Sakura summoned the will to get up out of bed. "I'm fine," Sakura answered in a monotone voice. She shuffled her feet to the closet where she would obtain her school uniform. _Why is it always a school night whenever I have to capture Clow Cards?_

Experiencing such conflicting feelings, Sakura felt it was best to review the basics. _I am Kinomoto Sakura, a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary. Last year I opened a strange book I found in my basement. I didn't know that opening the Clow Book would cause all the Clow Cards that were sealed inside to become free and cause all sorts of problems for people. But I did get to meet and befriend their guardian, Kero-chan!_

Kero watched Sakura move lethargically. "You don't look find to me…"

Kero was a small yellow flying beast. He had adorable rounded ears and a tail like a mouse. _And know that I think about it, he isn't that much bigger than a large rat._ _Of course, he's supposed to be like a lion, not a mouse or rat._ As the magical guardian of the Clow Cards, it was Kero's duty to help control the Clow Cards. Clow Cards were magical cards that were named after and controlled different aspects of the environment, like Earthy, Shadow, and Sword Clow Cards. Both Kero and the Clow Cards were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time. That is, until Sakura became the Cardcaptor and captured all the Clow Cards, bringing them under her power. Now that Sakura could control all of the Clow Cards, she was the mightiest magician in history. Being a Cardcaptor meant Sakura had borne the responsibility of capturing all of the rampaging Clow Cards through her magic and with help of Kero.

After changing for school, Sakura walked down the stairs into the kitchen, where her older brother, Tōya, and her father were making breakfast. _At least I don't have any chores to do today_ , Sakura thought, but even that couldn't bring make her smile.

"Hey, monster," Tōya teased. "You look more like a monster than usual today. Did you crawl out of the closet instead of from under the bed this morning?" Tōya was a junior in high school, whose main hobby seemed to be calling Sakura a monster.

 _Syaoran-kun used to call me clumsy but I don't think he was teasing like Tōya does_. Sakura, although inwardly annoyed, ignored her brother and ate the food placed at her seat on the table. She didn't even know what she was eating. All she could think of was the cakes she and Syaoran had made during home ec class at school. She glanced at the picture of her late mother sitting at the end of the table. _I wish you were alive so you can tell me what to do about Syaoran-kun…_

Once she was finished eating and cleared her dishes, Sakura sat by the door, putting on her roller skates. Her father came up behind her, "Sakura-san? If you're sick you can stay home. I don't want you to go to school if you're not feeling well."

Sakura paused. "I'm fine. I'm going to school." Standing up, Sakura turned around and gave her father her best reassuring smile. "And you're going to be late to go teach archeology at the university if you don't hurry."

Sakura's father glanced at his watch. "Oh! You're right! Have a fun day at school, Sakura-san!"

Guilty, Sakura observed her father dash down the hallway. _He's just watching over me like he has always done since Mom died so many years ago…_ And here she was pushing him away.

Though her father had left already, Sakura whispered goodbye and walked out the door, heading for school. Before homeroom started, Sakura sat at her desk, staring at the ceiling, when Daidouji Tomoyo, her best friend since childhood entered. She knew about Sakura's secret life as a Cardcaptor and, though she had no magic of her own, Tomoyo had helped Sakura capture Clow Cards countless time.

" _Ohayō_ , Sakura-chan." Sakura didn't answer Tomoyo. "Sakura-chan?" Confused, Tomoyo waved her hand in front of Sakura's face. "Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan!"

"Eh? Oh, good morning, Tomoyo-chan." Sakura continued to stare at the ceiling.

Behind them, the door the classroom opened. Syaoran walked to the desk, behind Sakura's desk and placed his school bag on the desk.

"Oh, _Ohayō_ , Li-kun," chirped Tomoyo.

"'Morning." Upon hearing Syaoran's voice, Sakura froze. Before she could stop it, visions of yesterday flooded her mind.

"… _O-Ohayō_ ," Syaoran said again, but this time to Sakura, breaking her reverie.

"… _Ohayō_ ," replied Sakura, turning her head only a little to the side. Her face was far too red to show Syaoran and Tomoyo. Thankfully at that moment her teacher entered the classroom, telling everyone to get to their seats.

Like Tomoyo, Syaoran knew that Sakura was the Cardcaptor and helped her capture the cards. Li Syaoran was the youngest descendant of a long line of magicians in Hong Kong, China. When his family learned that the Clow Cards had been unsealed, Syaoran, the best magician in the family, traveled to Japan, hoping to become the Cardcaptor. Much to his dismay, Sakura had already taken the title when she unsealed the cards. This caused a great rivalry between the two as they competed to capture the Clow Cards. However, over time they became friends. _And then yesterday, he told me… he told me…_ Sakura shook her head, banishing the memory.

Sakura spent her day at school lost in thought, thinking of everything and nothing at the same time, unintentionally ignoring her friends. Once school was finished, Sakura returned home and shut herself in her room, hoping that her homework would serve as a good distraction. But all she could do was stare at the blank math worksheet, unable to even pick up her pencil.

Kero flew protectively by Sakura's head. "Sakura, what's wrong? Please tell me. It's that brat, Syaoran, isn't it? Need me ta teach him a lesson?"

At the sound of Syaoran's name, Sakura flinched. "No, Kero-chan. I'm fine. S-S-Syaoran-kun is fine, too."

"Yeah, I bet you think he is," Kero muttered. "That's the problem."

The phone rang and, ever the dutiful daughter, Sakura ran downstairs to answer it. " _Hai_. Kinomoto residence."

"Sakura-chan?"

"Oh, Tomoyo-chan. What's wrong? I thought you were in the choir's concert today-"

"I heard from Terada-san who came to cheer for us. Apparently, Li-kun is going back to Hong Kong on the 11 o'clock flight today! He said that Li-kun will not be returning to Tomoeda Elementary anymore. Sakura-chan, can you hear me? Sakura chan… Sakura-chan?"

Sakura froze, her heart stopping. As though she was a robot without feeling, she hung up the phone and trudged up to her room. Ignoring Kero's pleas, Sakura spied the Clow Book that held all of the captured Clow Cards, now Sakura Cards. On an impulse, Sakura nabbed the Clow Book and ran out of her room.

"Sakura!" Kero cried behind her. Risking being discovered by Tōya and Sakura's father, Kero flew out of room, following Sakura.

Sakura quickly put on her roller skates and flung out of the house. She skated harder than she had in her entire life towards the place that kept appearing in her mind all day long. Tokyo Tower.

The place where Syaoran confessed his love for Sakura yesterday.

When she finally arrived, Sakura bent over, placing her free hand on her knee, and panted heavily.

" _Li-kun is going back to Hong Kong on the 11 o'clock flight today!"_

 _No…_ Sakura sunk to her knees, tears filling up in her eyes. The Clow Book tumbled out of her hands and onto the ground. "Syaoran-kun is going back… That can't be… I don't want that to happen! I mean, Syaoran-kun is…" A single tear fell from her eye and hit the book containing the Clow Cards.

"Sakura…?" Kero asked tentatively behind Sakura.

All of a sudden the magical circle that always appeared below her feet when she used a card shone on the ground. To Sakura's astonishment, a Sakura Card appeared, but it was different than any other Clow or Sakura Card that Sakura had ever seen. Sakura grasped the floating card and examined it. It had no name, but the picture was enough.

A heart with wings.

Sakura held it to her chest, smiling for the first time the entire day. "Syaoran-kun…" At long last, her heart found the courage to tell Syaoran her feelings.

"Whoa, Sakura, what's that?" Kero asked, flying over her shoulder to get a better look at the new card. "Did ya just make that card from yer own power? I'm impressed! But what is it?"

Sakura opened her mouth to answer, when the Clow Book flipped open, tearing through the pages. "Hoe?!" Sakura exclaimed, afraid. Never had the Clow Book ever responded to anything except when she undid the seal on the Clow Cards. Blue light poured from the book, enveloping Sakura and Kero in an otherworldly glow. A black hole materialized beneath Sakura's feet, causing her to sink.

"Sakura! This is magic! And it's-it's pulling us in!"

"No!" Sakura cried, "I have tell Syaoran-kun!" But neither of their protests had any effect. As the hole continued to suck them in, Sakura screamed.

"SYAORAAAAAAANN-KUUUUUUNNNN!"

* * *

Japanese and Cardcaptor Terms (in order they appear within chapter):

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards to fight the rampaging Clow Cards as well as her magic wand.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings that can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is his master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Oi-hey

Tomoeda-the fictional setting of Cardcaptor Sakura. It is near the city of Tokyo.

Clow Book-the book that contains all of the Clow Cards. Until Sakura opened it, it acted as a seal on the cards. Even though Sakura opened the book and released the seal, she still has the book in her possession and uses it to hold the Clow Cards. Through magic, Sakura can summon any Clow Cards at any time, despite them being within the book.

Cardcaptor-Sakura is the Cardcaptor, meaning that it is her responsibility to recapture the freed Clow Cards and become their master.

Clow Reed-He was the greatest magician of all of history until Sakura captured all of the Clow Cards and turned them into Sakura Cards. He created the Clow Cards, Clow Book, Kero and Yue. He lived and died long before Sakura was born.

Tōya-Tōya is Sakura's biological older brother from the present. He often teases Sakura, calling her a monster for stomping around the house. Tōya is known for getting a lot of part time jobs and volunteering. Throughout the manga/anime, Tōya often had jobs/volunteered at the places Sakura was visiting or capturing Clow Cards. This occurs so often that it is hypothesized that Tōya uses these jobs to watch over Sakura.

Sakura's father-Sakura's father is a kind man whose wife died when Sakura was very young. He is an archaeologist and teaches at a university. Between being busy because of his job and his Type B personality, he is very lax about creating rules and upholding them within the household. In other words, Tōya and Sakura are allowed to do whatever they want as long as they complete their chores.

Li Syaoran-Syaoran is eleven-years-old boy from Hong Kong. He is the youngest member of the Li family, a magical family that can trace its history all the way back to Clow Reed. In the begining of the anime/manga Syaoran's arrogance caused a competition of sorts between him and Sakura to capture Clow Cards, however, as the series progressed, Syaoran began to respect and then love Sakura. While Syaoran has magic of his own and can use the Clow Cards he helped capture, because Syaoran is not the Cardcaptor, he cannot seal Clow Cards through his own power.

Ohayō-good morning

Terada-Sakura, Tomoyo, and Syaoran's teacher.

Sakura Cards-After Sakura captured all of the Clow Cards, she transformed them into Sakura Cards. There is little difference between a Clow Card and a Sakura Card, but Sakura Cards only answer to Sakura, not Clow Reed or anyone else.

Hoe-is a made up word that is Sakura's trademark. She uses it when confused, embarrassed, or surprised. As far as I know it has no meaning other than conveying Sakura's feelings.

* * *

I know this beginning was pretty much the ending of the Cardcaptor anime and manga, but I wanted to establish that this story occurs after the events of the Cardcaptor series, but Sakura never got the chance to tell Syaoran about her feelings. A prologue was the best choice to do so, and it ended up being very similar to original source. It has been a while since I have seen the anime or read the manga, so if I have messed up Kero's accent or anything else, please tell me so I can fix it.

I will tell you more about what to expect in this story in the next chapter that I will post in a couple of days or so. Thanks for reading!

Next Chapter: Kenshin! Kaoru! Meiji Era! Let's go!


	2. Tales of Rurouni Cardcaptor!

I'm excited to present to you the first chapter of Rurouni Cardcaptor, but first, as promised, I must explain what to expect in the future of this story. To put it simply, this story is a retelling of some events of Rurouni Kenshin, using elements of the Cardcaptor Sakura series, namely the Clow Cards, to change the events. I use the events of Rurouni Kenshin as a baseline and then see how introducing magic and the characters of CCS will change them. For the first couple of chapters, the story will closely follow the events of Rurouni Kenshin without changing a lot, but as the story progresses, the more I emphasize magic.

As this is a crossover, there are many different characters from both of the series. Unfortunately, I do not have enough time to introduce all of the characters in either series. I want to be upfront about which characters that won't be appearing in this series so you won't be waiting for them as you read. The characters that won't appear from the RK universe are (spoilers ahead) Dr. Gensai and his granddaughters, Megumi, Enishi, and I probably will cut some of the Juppongatana members (I don't know who quite yet). Aside from the prologue, the only characters from the CSS universe are (spoilers ahead) Sakura, Kero, the Clow Cards, and Syaoran. If you want to know specifically why I cut these characters, you can ask me in a review or PM me. I'm sorry if you are a fan of the characters I cut!

People unfamiliar with the RK universe should use the dictionary at the end of the story as they read because, due to the nature of the chapter, there are less explanations of the universe within the story.

All right, Meiji era time!

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor series.

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PART ONE

RUROUNI CARDCAPTOR IN THE MEIJI ERA

CHAPTER ONE

Tales of Rurouni Cardcaptor!

Himura Kenshin walked through the deserted streets of Tokyo with a frown on his face. _Has it really been ten years since I've been here last? Maybe even more…_

And how had the city changed! Not only did the city changes its name from Edo to Tokyo, but also the soul of the city had transformed as well. No longer did blanket of fear suffocate the citizens of Tokyo, wondering when their loved ones would come home and the bloody war will end. The past of the Bakumatsu had slipped away as evidenced by the smiling people he encountered while strolling through the streets earlier this morning. _This is the eleventh year of the Meiji era, after all. It's been eleven years of peace since the Bakumatsu. Relative peace anyway._

Kenshin drew to a halt as a question struck him. _Do_ I _have a peaceful and hopeful future?_ Kenshin asked himself. Then he ran a hand through his red hair, clearing away his gloomy thoughts and continued moving forward. If Kenshin were to achieve happiness and redemption, it would be through his hands and the sword at his side. That was the very reason why he was traveling the streets of downtown Tokyo at night, after all.

Barely making a sound as he walked through the streets, Kenshin mulled over his progress. Because he has spent most of the day wandering through Tokyo streets and alleyways, he had the chance to memorize-or at least familiarize himself with-the roads of Tokyo. Armed with that knowledge, Kenshin could patrol the more dangerous parts of the city, keeping a watchful eye for bandits or any other shady people and protect the weak.

Of course, Kenshin couldn't stay out for too long. Someone was waiting for him to return and she would likely want to get an early start exploring the city tomorrow. At this hour though, he hoped she was sleeping, not staying up and worrying about him.

Kenshin smiled to himself. If there was anyone deserving of a happy future, it was her. Just being around her brightened up his day. So even though it might not be in her best interest to be with him, maybe… just maybe… he could allow himself to be a little more optimistic about his own future.

"Hitokiri Battōsai!"

Kenshin froze. _How…?_ After overcoming his shock, he slowly turned around to see a young woman dressed in a gi and hakama pointing a bokken at his chest. The angry look in her eyes and the confidence in her stance revealed that she knew exactly how to use her weapon on him, despite how strange it was that a woman would know how to wield a bokken. And that she wasn't afraid to use the bokken on him.

"I've found you," the woman continued. "For two months you have murdered at will! Now it ends!"

"Oro?" Kenshin said, completely confused. If the situation wasn't serious, he would have laughed. This woman totally had the wrong idea! …Partly, anyway.

As she brandished the bokken and charged at him, the woman shouted, "Don't play the fool! Who else would defy the law and carry a sword in public?!"

Kenshin dodged a horizontal sweep of the bokken by jumping high into the air as he had done so many times before …and crashed on a nearby barrels as he had never done before. Through the pain, Kenshin reminded himself such buffoonery could be the key to convincing the woman that he wasn't a threat and dissuade her from attacking.

Baffled, the woman muttered to herself, "This… is the hitokiri Battōsai?"

"Nope," Kenshin answered. After his head cleared, he got his first good look at the woman. She was short like himself and had long black hair tied into a ponytail. But most surprising of all were her blue eyes. A shameless part of his mind thought, _She's beautiful_ ,but he shoved his feelings aside. Now wasn't the time to be thinking such things.

Kenshin smiled up at the woman as he explained, "This one is but a rurouni, a swordsman traveling with no destination. After just arriving in town, how can a murder be this one's fault?" He watched her as she processed his words. He chuckled to himself. Of all the meetings he had with people over the past ten years of traveling, this one was surely the strangest of all.

"T-Then how do you explain that sword?! No one's allowed to carry a blade!" The woman cried, growing red, though if it was because she was still angry or was embarrassed, he couldn't tell. Or maybe she was just impatient.

Either way, her question deserved to be answered, rude behavior or not. Kenshin placed the hilt of his sword into the palm of her hand, even though he was loathe to be separated from it even for a moment. She unsheathed it and examined it. "It's a… sakabatō? A reverse blade?" She asked in surprise. "And the blade shows no wear, no smear of blood… it hasn't been used once. Then… you're really just a rurouni. But why carry a blade you can't use?"

A shrill noise pierced the night air, starling them both. "Police whistle! I have to go!" The woman cried. Tossing the sakabatō into the air behind her, she ran off.

"Oro!" Kenshin scrambled to catch his beloved sword. Once it was safely in his hands, he sighed. Less than a day in Tokyo and he was already being assaulted with accusations of murder-and by a bokken wielding, rash, woman no less. And don't forget beautiful. _Stop that!_ Kenshin wasn't a young man who couldn't control his emotions and thoughts anymore. There was no reason to be thinking such things. _That is, unless she's really is b… Enough!_

Well, one thing was for sure.

"It's seems there's something interesting to check out here, that there is." Kenshin muttered. Resigning himself to the inevitable, he chased after the young woman.

Quickly the unmistakable sounds of screaming and metal clanging against each other, signaling Kenshin that he should prepare himself for a fight. Running towards the scene, he analyzed the situation with just a sweep of his eyes. _Big armed man cornering the young woman, who is wounded._ Speeding up faster than most believed was possible, Kenshin scooped the woman into his arms, avoiding the deadly strike from the large man.

Examining the woman's opponent with a backwards glance, Kenshin told the woman, "You're quite the risk taker." The man was ginormous. Most people in their right mind wouldn't face him with a sword, let alone a bokken.

"Rurouni…" the woman whispered as though she was touched by his rescue.

When the sound of the police whistles grew closer, Kenshin heard the woman's attacker proclaim, "I am Himura Battōsai, master of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū!" He turned and cried, "People call me hitokiri Battōsai!"

Kenshin took a moment to examine the man as he fled, knowing the information he could obtain would be important for the future. _There on the hand he's waving… was that…?_

"Stop!" the young woman shouted after the murderer, raising her hand. Much to Kenshin's surprise she fainted in his arms.

 _She must have lost more blood than I thought. Or…_ Kenshin thought darkly, _she's driven herself to the point of utter exhaustion trying to stop that man._ A girl who would risk her life repeatedly to stop thelegendary and deadly hitokiri Battōsai no matter what the cost… He smiled to himself. "What a courageous woman."

Then Kenshin paused. Just where did she live? He couldn't walk the streets at night with a passed out girl in his arms! _Ororo… why do I always find myself in these situations?_

After asking around, Kenshin was able to learn the address of her dojo. Once there, he placed her on the dojo floor-he didn't know where her bedroom was and entering a woman's bedroom without permission would go against propriety-and dressed the wound on her arm to the best of his ability. Just as Kenshin was about to leave, she awoke and stopped him. She checked over his handiwork as she explained who the supposed hitokiri Battōsai was and the foundations of her dojo, Kamiya Kasshin-ryū.

"The man claiming to be Battōsai has been killing in my dojo's name for a couple of months now, completely slandering Kamiya Kasshin-ryū's reputation. Kamiya Kasshin-ryū was founded by my late father. It is a sword style that proclaims "protection without killing," swords that give life instead of death. Killing in our name… it's ruining our dojo."

 _Swords that give life, eh? How strange, that it is._ While she described the details of her sword style's philosophy, he examined the names written on the wooden boards hanging on the wall. "Kamiya Kasshin-ryū," he read. "Kamiya Kaoru-assistant master and instructor… Oro?" _She's the_ assistant master _?!_

Kaoru, presumably the name of the woman he had saved, continued recounting her tale. "Ever since the murders started, my students began to leave, fearing the name of Battōsai and everyone's judgment."

Kenshin closed his eyes. _Of course her students would leave. Everyone fears hitokiri Battōsai of the Bakumatsu, that they do. He is a merciless killer who feels nothing, only rage against his enemies and the thrill of spilling their blood. He is a monster. A demon, they call him, for his sword fighting abilities are like no human being in Japan or the world._

Predictably, Kaoru proved her stubbornness yet again when he tried to dissuade her from patrolling at night. "Is this fight really worth your life?" Kenshin asked her.

Her clenched fist shaking, Kaoru whispered, "For ten long years, my father struggled to create a style based on swords that give life. Six months ago he was drafted into the Seinan war and… died." Kaoru took a deep breath, then raised her head at him and shouted, "Kamiya Kasshin-ryū, my father's last gift, has been defiled! This dojo means everything to me. I will not sit idly by as everything I love and worked so hard for falls apart!"

Kenshin stared into Kaoru's eyes, searching. _I can see that it means everything to you. It seems I must work quickly then if nothing will convince you to stop._ Plastering on his best rurouni smile, he said, "Regardless, you are still wounded and need rest." Kenshin headed towards the door as he continued, "If you really believe in swords that give life, then you have a duty to keep yourself alive." He slid open the door and turned to face Kaoru one last time. His smile that he gave her, Kenshin discovered to his surprise, wasn't as fake as he thought it would be. "No doubt your late father wouldn't wish to trade his daughter's life to protect his sword style." Kaoru's eyes widened.

Sayonara _, Kaoru-dono. Have a good life._ "Excuse this one."

Kenshin slid the door close.

* * *

 _Where is she?_ Kenshin thought, beginning to get annoyed. _How many times have I told her not to run off on her own? Goodness, she's still such a child, that she is._ With a murderer at large, now was definitely not the time to be disappearing. At least they had a tested failsafe plan for emergencies. _Even so, that's no excuse for worrying me half to death!_

"Rurouni?"

Jarred out of his internal lecture, Kenshin turned around to see Kaoru dressed in a kimono. The sight made him pause. Kawaii _,_ he thought. _No, beautiful._

"You're still here?" said Kaoru, mildly stunned. "I was afraid you might have left the city already. Do you have some business here?"

 _I am just as surprised as you to have met you again. Surprised …and grateful._ "Um… not exactly…" Kenshin answered. Changing the subject, he asked, "Has your dojo ever had a student with a paralyzed hand? The assailant who attacked you last night had a paralyzed right thumb."

Turning red, Kaoru cried, "I already told you! Kamiya Kasshin-ryū is a sword style that protects people! There's no way a student of Kasshin-ryū would kill someone. Besides, I already have a suspect."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

"There's an ex dojo called 'Kiheikan' on the outskirts of the next town over. A giant former samurai took it over about two months ago, the same time when the murders started. There aren't that many men his size and skilled with swords. I have no proof, so I can't do anything. But soon…!" Kaoru punched her fist into her other hand, her eyes narrowing in anger.

Kaoru sighed, calming herself down. Turning to Kenshin with a smile, she asked, "So you can't have much money, Rurouni. Do you want to stay with me?

Kenshin was pleasantly surprised by the offer, however he knew he couldn't take it seriously. Despite how much he wanted to. He was a rurouni for a reason, a reason he must never forget. "Oh, no. This one has an errand to run," he said. Excusing himself, he turned away and raised a hand in the air for farewell. "Another time."

"B-But wait…" said Kaoru.

"Yes?" Kenshin asked. Was it just his imagination or was Kaoru concerned about him? _No, that can't be true. We only just met …and no one cares about me…_

"Um… the other night…" Wringing her hands and looking at the ground, Kaoru muttered, "I never thanked you for saving my life. I'm sorry. Thank you…"

Kenshin watched her, speechless. Maybe it wasn't his hopes getting the better of him after all and she did care about him. The moment was broken when Kenshin spied a bit of pink weaving through the crowd, reminding him of his duty. "Don't worry about it," he told Kaoru. "Goodbye."

Before Kaoru could protest, Kenshin threw himself headlong into the crowd searching for his friend, his head spinning with possible scenarios. _Kiheiko dojo in the neighboring town… No wonder there was nothing to find in Tokyo._

Just as Kenshin saw his friend at the end of the street, she giggled and ran away in the complete opposite direction of him. _Argh! This isn't a game! Come back,_ he thought as resigned himself to spending the better part of the next hour scrambling after her.

No matter what it took, Kenshin would discover the murderer's true identity. _Justice will be metered._

* * *

Kaoru quietly sipped her tea from her cup, the very image of grace and peace, but in reality her insides were churning. Hours after her second encounter with the rurouni, she was still trying to wrap her head around the idea that the rurouni believed the murderer could be one of her students. It just didn't make sense. _After all, he seemed like a nice enough guy, even though he carried a weird sword. He was kinda cute, too and oh! Don't forget how handsome and strong he was when he saved me and held me in his arms…_

"Rrg!" Kaoru cried. There was no reason to be thinking such things. Angry with herself, she slammed her tea cup against the floor. Upon hitting the ground, the cup cracked. _Great_ , she thought. _Just like my love life._

But the question remained: why would the rurouni, who seemed to believe Kaoru and her story, think the murderer could have been a student of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū?

In the silence of the dojo, Kaoru found herself thinking about her nightmare last night, the other mystery that had been plaguing her. In her dream she was a little girl again, watching one of her father's classes in the dojo. A large student had been acting up, and her father disciplined him by hitting his hand with a shinai. The student moaned in pain on the ground until he suddenly glanced up at Kaoru and grinned. He reached out to her with a massive hand… and the dream ended. If the dream was in fact, based in memory as Kaoru was beginning to suspect it was, then her father must have really punished a student by striking their hand. Could her father have hit the student with enough force to paralyze the hand…?

Gasping as the realization hit her, Kaoru ran from the dojo into the back compartment that housed all the records. She grabbed the book detailing the years she had been a child and placed it on the dojo floor. Flipping through the book of the names of students, she thought to herself, _I can't remember his face all too well, so maybe he had been expelled afterwards. I just need to look for a student that has been marked as expelled and…_

"Here it is! Expelled eleven years ago… Hiruma Gohei!"

As if summoned, the dojo doors slammed open. Hiruma Gohei, the man she suspected was the murderer, grinned the same way as he had in her nightmares. Her heart shriveled in terror as she beheld the sight…

He brought friends.

Gohei laughed quietly and strode into the dojo as if he owned the place, turning Kaoru's fear into rage. _How dare he attack my dojo?!_ Standing up to face him, she exclaimed, "So it was you!"

Smirking, Gohei replied, "Oh, you finally remembered me? I've been in hell for eleven years waiting for this day to come. The day that I can throw the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū into the abyss!"

Clenching her fists, Kaoru accused, "So disgracing my father's name with all the street slaughters was your revenge against my father for paralyzing your hand and expelling you." _You… you monster._ Racing backwards Kaoru snatched a shinai off the wall and whirled to face Gohei. "My father's Kamiya Kasshin-ryū will not lose to the likes of you!" Screaming, Kaoru lunged at Gohei, aiming for his abdomen. Much to her shock, Gohei caught the shinai with the palm of his hand. _Wh-Who is he?_ She marveled.

Raising his sheathed sword above his head, Gohei crowed triumphantly, "Your pathetic Kamiya Kasshin-ryū can't even compare to my original sword style!" Swinging it downward, the sheath met Kaoru's weapon and broke it in half. Gohei's sheath slammed into Kaoru's shoulder, stunning her. Taking advantage of the situation, Gohei grabbed a fistful of Kaoru's gi and raised her into the air. "My revenge will be complete when I kill you and destroy the school. I'll make sure you go to hell slowly…" He smirked, "…after making you crawl on the ground." Turning to his pack of thugs behind him he asked, "How about it? Do your swords want to taste some of her blood?"

One greasy haired man with an equally as greasy smiled volunteered, "Let me do it."

Others stepped forward, crying, "Me too! Me too!"

Desperation crept into her voice as Kaoru defended her honor and sword style. "Swords exist to save people."

"That's funny," laughed Gohei. Everyone joined in. Gohei pressed the end of his sheathed sword to Kaoru's chin as he challenged, "Then why don't you start by saving your own life?" Crushing the shinai end into her chin, he mocked, "Well, what's wrong?"

Unbidden, tears slipped out her eyes and trailed down her face. _What's wrong?! I've failed my father and my sword style, even though I know its principles are true. But now I'll die here without showing the world my father's hopes and beliefs. Forgive me, Father…_

Instead of feeling a blade slashing her open as Kaoru expected, the shoji door was swept aside. Annoyed at the interruption, Gohei turned to the door. "Nishiwaki, what is it?"

"H-He's strong…" A man Goehi must have ordered to guard the entrance to the dojo groaned. He fell to the ground, not even attempting to catch himself with his hands. And behind him… was the rurouni, an ice cold gleam in his eyes.

Kaoru's eyes widened. "Rurouni…?" _D-Did he just…? He killed him…_

Stepping into the dojo, the rurouni demanded, "Let her go, that you should."

Gohei lowered Kaoru a bit, examining the rurouni's face and red hair. "I remember you from yesterday."

Bangs covering his eyes, the rurouni replied, "This one should have defeated you then and there before you attacked Kaoru-dono."

Even if the rurouni might have just killed one of Gohei's goons, Kaoru couldn't bear to watch the kind rurouni be massacred in front of her eyes. "Don't fight!" she cried. "You can't possibly beat him!"

With a mocking grin on his face, Gohei asked the rurouni, "Are you here to talk about 'swords that give life,' too?!"

Everyone waited in silence. The only sound Kaoru could hear was the hammering of her own heart. Despite her stubborn pride and will, Kaoru found herself thinking, _Please, Rurouni. Save me once again._

"No," answered the rurouni, his tone of voice harsh and unyielding. Kaoru froze. Walking toward Gohei, the rurouni continued, "A sword is a weapon. Whatever pretty names you give it, swordsmanship is a way to kill _._ She speaks as one who has never bloodied her hands. Kaoru-dono maintains a sweet, naïve lie," he whispered, no hint of emotion on his face as he tore the philosophy of her sword style to shreds.

Again Kaoru fought to keep from crying. "Rurouni…" _I guess it's my fault for putting my trust in a man I just met. Stupid, silly heart… it'll be the death of me now._

Her heart stopped when the rurouni smiled. "But in the face of such awful truth… the sweet naïve lie she tells is so much better, that it is. If this one had a wish it would only be that her lie would become the truth of this world."

Her face wet with tears Kaoru returned the rurouni's smile. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but did she see the rurouni inclined his head at her ever so slightly? _He does care…_ She sniffed. _He does care about me…_

Enraged, Gohei yelled, "Get him! For interrupting my plan for revenge he should get a slow and painful death!"

Kaoru screamed, "Rurouni, run away!"

The rurouni placed his hand on the hilt of his sakabatō. "Fighting this one is pointless. None of you will remain standing if they insist on fighting."

One of Gohei's brutes said, "There will be only one casualty…" Gohei's thugs charged at the rurouni, swords bared. "…and that's you!"

Almost faster than Kaoru could follow, Gohei's men dropped like flies in the face of the rurouni. In amazement, Kaoru watched the rurouni fight. _It's like witchcraft or magic! But that can't be…_ Gathering clues with what little she did see, Kaoru used her knowledge of swordsmanship to unveil the rurouni's moves. _No, it's just that he's so incredibly fast… He predicts his enemies' movement and takes them down with the least possible movement!_

After defeating the last three men with one swing, the rurouni stood over the bodies, not flinching at the slightest at the sight before him. "Oh, one thing," the rurouni said. Placing the sakabatō on his shoulder, the rurouni turned to Gohei. "Hitokiri Battōsai doesn't use Kamiya Kasshin-ryū nor the original sword style you use but an ancient style that pits one against many, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. If not for such a sword, the body count would increase tenfold."

Horror wrenched Kaoru's stomach. "No…" she murmured. " _You_ … are the hitokiri Battōsai…?" _Can it really be true? But nothing else would explain what I just saw._ Unspeakable sadness coursed through her. _I think I know why he is a rurouni now…_

"Oh ho!" Gohei cried. He tossed Kaoru to the ground and unsheathed his sword. His face lit with manic glee in anticipation of a fight. "I thought you were a nobody the other night. It didn't even occur to me to fight you. Now I regret it!"

The rurouni frowned. "Unlike you, this one doesn't care for violence. If only this had ended earlier. Quite regrettable."

Raising his sword above his head, Gohei shouted, "This world has no room for two Battōsai! Die!"

Kaoru must have blinked. She must have. One second the rurouni was standing in front of Gohei about to die and the next he was flying in the air over Gohei. "Over here," the rurouni taunted. With the aid of gravity adding to the force of the blow, the rurouni swung the sakabatō down onto Gohei's left hand. Gohei slammed into the ground so hard, the wooden boards of the floor broke. No protests were heard from Gohei as the rurouni proclaimed, "This one has no attachment to the name Battōsai. Still, the likes of you won't use it either. Of course with those fingers, you'll never be able to hold a sword again in either hand." He sheathed the sakabatō with finality.

One of Gohei's men cowered in the corner. Hesitantly, he examined his fallen comrades. "I can't believe this… they're all just unconscious. None of 'em are dead…"

Kaoru gasped in surprised. _Of course! The reverse blade sakabatō! It can't kill anyone._

The rurouni glared at the man and ordered, "Go to the police and tell them what this man has been doing. Understand?"

" _H-Hai_!" The man scrambled out the door, screaming in fear. As she picked herself up into a sitting position, Kaoru marveled at the rurouni's force of will. To think it was so powerful it would convince a man to turn himself in willingly.

The rurouni sighed. Turning to face Kaoru, he smiled sadly. "This one is sorry, Kaoru-dono, that he is. This one didn't mean to hide it from you. It's just… this one didn't want to tell you if it was not necessary. It's usually better if the truth isn't known."

For a reason Kaoru couldn't explain, her heart thudded in her chest at the sight of him smiling at her like that; her heart was so easily moved by the sadness in his eyes.

The rurouni smiled one last time. "Take care," he said over his shoulder as he began to leave.

"Wait!" cried Kaoru.

"Oro?"

Standing up, Kaoru demanded, "Are you just going to walk away? _Baka_! I don't care about people's pasts! Everyone has one or two things they rather not talk about. What's important is how you're living in the present and how you move toward the future!" The rurouni's shoulders stiffened, but Kaoru wasn't finished. "How do you expect me to rebuild Kamiya Kasshin-ryū without you? Can't you at least help me out a little?"

Slowly the rurouni relaxed. He turned around and placed his hand on the shoji door. "However, everything will be for naught if the real Battōsai stayed here."

"I'm not asking for Battōsai to stay. I'm asking you, the rurouni, to stay-!" Realizing what she had just said, Kaoru clamped a hand over her mouth. She turned around with her back facing the rurouni and the shoji doors. Kaoru whispered, "If you insist on leaving at least tell me your name. Your real name." _I want to know the name. The name of the man who embodied all of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū's ideals with his life saving sakabatō…_

No answer. The shoji door slid closed partway. Kaoru closed her eyes and lowered her head. _Gone. He's gone. He'll never know how important he was to me and my dojo…_

Like the sun breaking through the stormy clouds, Kaoru heard the rurouni's voice.

"Himura. Himura Ken-"

"KENSHIN NII-CHAN!"

Startled, Kaoru whirled around to see a smiling face of a little girl emerge from between the rurouni's legs.

"O-Ororo?!" The rurouni stammered, just as surprised as Kaoru and quite a deal flustered.

Ducking underneath his legs, she ran to the closest man lying on the ground and examined him. "You saved her already? And you didn't need my help?" The tiny girl frowned.

Kaoru stared at the girl who appeared out of thin air. To say she was strange was a vast understatement. On her head was something large and pink that appeared to be a cross between a large hat and a Western bonnet for babies. She wore an unusual pink Western dress. Instead of hanging around her ankles like a normal dress or kimono, the edges were frilly and came out perpendicular to her, ending above her knees. Why would a little girl like her wear something so indecent?! But the strangest thing of all was the fact that she appeared unfazed by the multitude of unconscious men lying on the ground.

She was definitely not a normal girl.

Glancing up at Kaoru, the girl asked, "Oh, are you her? Are you the one nii-chan was helping?" She bounded over to Kaoru and smiled, "Kamiya Kaoru-san, right?"

"Er… uh…" Given the bizarre circumstances all Kaoru could manage was making noise.

A weird muffled male voice emitting from Sakura's hat said, "Oh, she's da one all right. She's da one the red head has his eyes on I can tell. He would not just stop talking about you- erk!"

The rurouni walked to Sakura's side and patted Sakura's head a little forcefully. Kaoru's eyes grew wide as she swore she saw the hat move. _It has a mind of its own?!_

"This one's name is Himura Kenshin," the rurouni smiled apologetically to her. "This one-"

"And my name is Kinomoto Sakura. I'm the Cardcaptor. Ken-nii's a rurouni. Together we're…" She struck a pose, throwing one hand in the air behind her and the other toward Kaoru.

"…RUROUNI CARDCAPTOR!"

Crickets chirped outside.

Pouting, Sakura turned to Kenshin. "You didn't pose with me. Why didn't you pose with me? Don't you care…? We even rehearsed… It's for Tomoyo-"

Kaoru gagged. _Rehearsed?!_

"Sakura-chan. Ssh!" Kenshin said firmly.

"Yeah," the strange male voice said again, "don't embarrass him in front of his new girlfriend-" Kenshin clamped down on Sakura's hat. In response, the hat bunched around one of his fingers and Kenshin quickly jerked his hand off Sakura's head, as though in pain.

 _The hat… ohmygods the hat moves and speaks… with a_ Kansai _accent of all things… I have to get out of here._

Seeing the panicked expression on Kaoru's face, Kenshin said, " _Maa_ , _maa_. Allow this one to explain. Sakura-chan is a girl this one rescued two months ago. She's been traveling with this one."

"B-But she's…" Kaoru started. _Where in the world to start?_

"Uh… let's just say she has a very active imagination. This one understands if you don't want the both of us to stay." Though he tried to keep his voice neutral, Kaoru could tell there was a bit of sadness lining his voice. "This one-"

"Stay?" Sakura turned her pleading eyes up to Kaoru. "A place for us to stay? Really?"

Kaoru stared down at her and into those innocent, big, imploring, and strange green eyes. Eyes that were full of hope even as they filled with unshed tears that threatened to spill onto her cute, little face. Kaoru had just been begging the rurouni to remain at the dojo and now she would rescind on her promise? Even if he had a strange little girl with him, what kind of person would she be if she refused to let them stay? Besides she wanted to know more about this mysterious pair. Especially Kenshin…

Bowing her head, Kaoru acquiesced, "The two of you can stay for however long you like."

"Yay!" Sakura screamed as she hugged Kaoru fiercely. Kaoru gasped in surprise. Resting her chin on Kaoru's stomach, Sakura looked up at Kaoru and beamed, "Thank you, Kaoru onee-san!"

Kaoru's heart melted at the sincerity of the girl's joy and she hugged the girl back. "You're very welcome, Sakura-chan." Releasing the embrace, she glanced at Kenshin and saw him smiling a biggest smile that she had ever seen on his face.

"Thank you, Kaoru-dono. We're both grown tired of wandering, that we have. One never knows when or where one will be off next, but please excuse the intrusion. Thank you from the bottom of this one's heart."

Sakura's hat laughed, "Want ta see what's in his heart? Oh boy! Well, let me tell ya-"

"Grr…" Gritting his teeth, Kenshin kneaded the hat and hissed something under his breath. "… _Hotaru!_ "

"Firefly?" Kaoru asked confused.

Sakura giggled, "Nii-chan…"

Crossing her arms, Kaoru inquired, "Yeah, about that. Are the two of you really siblings?"

"Um, actually…" said Kenshin, raising his hands in the air in a helpless gesture. "This one is 28…"

"WHAT?!" Kaoru cried.

 _Thwack!_

"Augh!" Kenshin cried, back arcing in pain.

Another young male voice shouted, "How dare you attack my dojo! She may be ugly, but she's my sensei. Get your hands off her!"

The boy raised his shinai about to strike Kenshin again. Thoroughly annoyed at this point, Kenshin yanked the shinai out of his hands and threw it across the dojo. The boy's hands continued their descent and hit Sakura's head, who had jumped between Kenshin and the boy. "Ow," the hat said.

"Don't hurt Ken-nii! He's done nothing wrong!" The boy stared at Sakura, slack jawed. Knowing how he felt, Kaoru rolled her eyes.

Rubbing his back, Kenshin asked Kaoru, "Who's this little one?"

"I'm not little, I'm not a kid, and don't call me –chan! I'm Myōjin Yahiko, samurai of Tokyo, student of the ugly woman over there! And don't you forget it!"

Sakura smiled. "I'm Kinomoto Sakura-"

Taking advantage of everyone's distraction, Kaoru snagged Sakura's hat off her head. _Aha!_ There was something yellow on the bottom edges of the hat. She shook the hat up and down, trying to dislodge it as the hat cried in protest.

"Aah!" Kenshin yelped. Much to Kaoru's surprise, Kenshin yanked the hat from Kaoru's hands and placed it firmly on Sakura's head.

Pointing at the hat, Kaoru exclaimed, "That hat speaks and I saw it move! It _bit_ you! If your Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū isn't witchcraft that. Hat. Is!"

"Ah, er, well… This one sees you have an active imagination too, that you do…"

"And where do you get off being 28-years-old? There's no way with a face like yours!" Kaoru continued her tirade.

"Oro?"

"What?" Yahiko bellowed. "He's 28?!"

"Ken-nii is very old," giggled Sakura.

"And what about your red hair?" Kaoru asked.

"Ororo…"

"Your violet eyes are freaky!" cried Yahiko.

"Oro!"

"Would everyone just BE QUIET?!"

Everyone watched Sakura's head as a little yellow monster appeared from underneath the hat. It blinked its beady eyes under the weight of everyone's stares. "Uh…hi." It said. "I'm Kerberos or Kero for short." It floated in the air towards Kaoru and offered a hand/paw/tiny lump of an extension of its body to Kaoru. "Nice ta meet cha."

Kaoru fainted dead away.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in order they appear within chapter):

Rurouni Cardcaptor-a term that I created for this story. Sakura created the cute term. It can refer to Sakura and Kenshin collectively or their duty to capture the Clow Cards that are freed in the Meiji era.

Himura Kenshin-Kenshin is rurouni, a wanderer, and the former hitokiri Battōsai. He has unusual red hair and violet eyes. On the shorter side, at a glance Kenshin is often mistaken to be a woman. In addition, though he is 28, he looks about ten years younger. He learned his sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, from his master. When he was fourteen, he ran away from his Master to fight in the civil war, during the Bakumatsu, hoping to defend the weak. Kenshin joined the Ishin Shishi, who were determined to topple the corrupt Japanese government and bring equality to Japan citizens. Because of Kenshin's great skills as a swordsman and Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he became hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin fought for five years. Afterwards he disappeared and traveled Japan, becoming a rurouni. As a rurouni, Kenshin protected people with his sakabatō, but because of his bloody past, he never stayed in one place for long. Two months before he entered Tokyo, Kenshin met Sakura and the two began to travel together. Kenshin is a fictional character, but the history of the Bakumatsu and the Ishin Shishi are real.

Bakumatsu-Before the Bakumatsu, the Japanese government closed its doors to foreigners and had three hundred years of peace. The arrival the American black ships carrying a message that the US wanted to trade with Japan forced Japan to realize how far behind they were. Some people believed for the sake of the country progressing, they had to open its borders, but others refused. This fight carried into the Bakumatsu. According to Rurouni Kenshin Restoration manga the Bakumatsu is a "fifteen year period between the arrival of the black ships at Japan and the Meiji Restoration… those wielding swords divided between the Tokugawa shognate forces and the Ishin Shishi (pro imperialist patriots) battled each other." Kyoto, the capital of Japan at that time, was were the battles were the fiercest and where Kenshin fought for a long time. While the Bakumatsu is a fifteen year period, it is important to note, that this time period wasn't completely filled with war. However, when Bakumatsu is mentioned in the story (or manga) it always refers to the war.

Meiji Era-period of time from 1868 to 1912. Rurouni Kenshin series (and this story) takes place in the eleventh year of Meiji, 1878. Following the collapse of the shogun, the corrupt Japanese government, in the Bakumatsu, a new emperor succeed the throne. Meiji era is an era of time marked by the transition between the feudal era to becoming more modern by the influence of Western countries.

Hitokiri Battōsai- hitokiri means assassin or literally manslayer. Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu technique, Kenshin's trademark attack. According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." During the Bakumatsu, Kenshin became an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. He was feared by all for his astounding swordsmanship abilities that allowed him to kill so many people. Many legends compare him to a demon. Kenshin fought for the Ishin Shishi for five years (ages 14 to 19).

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. (I could go in more detail as a gi isn't really a shirt in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. (I could go in more detail as a hakama isn't really pants in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

Bokken-wooden stick used in dojos to train students; very similar to shinai

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

Rurouni-Rurouni is a made up term created from the words " _ru_ " which means to wander and " _ronin_ " or masterless samurai. (Note: Kenshin did have a Master, but he ran away to fight with the Ishin Shishi, cutting off all ties with him) After fighting for the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin traveled Japan for ten years as a rurouni. Carrying his sakabatō, Kenshin protected people, but he never stayed in any place for long. By helping as many people as possible as a wandering rurouni, Kenshin hoped to repent for the murders he committed as a hitokiri Battōsai. As a rurouni, Kenshin often masks his true feelings behind a smile or acting as though he is less skilled with a sword than he really is.

Sakabatō-Kenshin's reverse blade sword. The dull side of the blade is where the sharp edge should be and vice versa. In this way, Kenshin can fight with a sword but not kill, only breaking bones instead. It is a symbol of Kenshin's vow never to kill again. Kenshin has carried the sakabatō for ten years as he traveled as a rurouni.

"that it is", "that I am", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

Kamiya Kasshin-ryū-This sword style was created by Kaoru's late father after ten years of work. It is a sword style that teaches how to protect others without killing them (i.e. using bokkens and shinais rather than swords) but as Kenshin points out, the style can be used with swords that can kill.

Seinan War-also called the Satsuma rebellion; a nine month war that occurred in 1877 of Meiji. It was an uprising of samurai dissatisfied with the government and their place in society. After the Meiji Restoration following the end of the Bakumatsu, many samurai were poor and struggling to give up their old way of life of fighting. Many turned to robbery, staining the once held great honor the samurai class had. Kaoru's father was drafted into the Seinan War and died.

Sayonara-goodbye; used in situations when the parting is expected to be a long time or forever

Kimono-a long, loose robe with large sleeves that is tied by the waist with a sash, called an _obi_. Men and women can wear it. In this time, men can wear gis and hakamas instead if they were samurai, but women typically only wore kimonos.

Kawaii-cute

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū-This is Kenshin's sword style. It is a defensive style, focusing on fighting multiple opponents at once and legendary speed. It's symbol/mascot is a dragon. Because Kenshin used Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū during the Bakumatsu, he became the hitokiri Battōsai and feared to be a demon.

Hai-yes

Baka-idiot, dummy, stupid

Shoji-the name of the sliding doors in Japan (as opposed to a Western door that opens and closes on a hinge)

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards to fight the rampaging Clow Cards as well as her magic wand.

Cardcaptor-Sakura is the Cardcaptor, meaning that it is her responsibility to recapture the freed Clow Cards and become their master.

Tomoyo-Sakura's best friend in the present. She helps Sakura capture the Clow Cards, although she has no magic of her own. When the two of them chase down Clow Cards, Tomoyo records Sakura. She also creates a bunch of costumes for Sakura and Kero and encourages Sakura to pose after capturing cards, much to Sakura's embarrassment. Kero, however, loves being in the spotlight. Sakura is upset that Kenshin didn't pose with her because she wants to pose in Tomoyo's memory.

Maa, maa-Now, now; used to calm people down (In Kenshin's case usually unsuccessfully :) )

Kansai-Refers to the accent Kero speaks with that he picked up from the city of Osaka. I tried my best to replicate it in English.

Onee-san-Older sister; the "o" attached to "nee" signals formality as well as the "san" honorific. Sakura refers to Kaoru in a more formal way because she doesn't know Kaoru as well.

Hotaru-firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings and can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is Kero's master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

* * *

I know, I know. That was extremely close to the first chapter of Rurouni Kenshin. I promise, it will never be this close to the original again. The next chapter's beginning is pretty close to the source material, but there is first mention of Clow Cards and an original part to it. And for those of you who wanted to see Sakura and Kenshin meeting for the first time that will be explored more in a later chapter. Speaking of later chapters, I figure I will post new chapters every 5 to 7 days. As it says on my profile page that I like getting a head start writing before posting stories. Right now, I'm entering the most difficult part of the story, and I'm afraid that you may catch up to me before too long. I don't like posting as I write because there are times I stumble upon writer's block and don't write for days, which would leave my readers waiting. I rather have regular posting times than have that scenario occur.

Know some friends that like RK? CCS? Or just crossovers in general? Spread the word that a new RK and CCS crossover story is out! It would mean a lot to me if you do. A big thank you to the people who have followed my story. What are your thoughts so far?

Yasha, thank you so much for your review! I'm glad you were able to follow the story and are looking forward to more. If you need anything clarified, especially since RK universe can be confusing, just let me know!

Next chapter: When everyone goes to the Akabeko, a restaurant, to celebrate the clearing of Kaoru's dojo, they meet a mysterious person who claims he's a fighter for hire. Who is he? And when Sakura senses a Clow Card in Tokyo will she be able to find and capture it?

Everyone, thank you so much for reading my story!


	3. The Mysterious Fighter for Hire!

With this chapter Sano, a major character of the RK universe, is introduced! I hope you enjoy my take on it!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own any characters from the RK or CSS universe.

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

The Mysterious Fighter for Hire!

 _When exactly did my life fall apart and everything spin out of control?_ Kenshin sighed. The answer was long before he met Kaoru and even Sakura and Kero. He had changed his life forever by taking up his sword and becoming the hitokiri Battōsai, fighting in the Bakumatsu for the new era. _And yet,_ Kenshin smiled to himself, _that was a long time ago. Now I have little Sakura-chan and Kero. And Kaoru-dono and Yahiko. For now at least, there's no need to worry about being a rurouni. Not when I have… people that care about me_ ,Kenshin thought with a smile.

Of course, that excluded Kero and his current obnoxious behavior. Kenshin wringed a wet cloth with his hands over a bucket a little more forcefully than needed as he tried to tune Kero's nagging out.

"And here ya are, the ever dutiful watchdog guarding their master," Kero mocked. "When she wakes up are ya going to ask for a treat? I think ya should because I'm hungry for candy!" Normally, Kero didn't act up this much but ever since Kenshin first mentioned Kaoru to Sakura and Kero, Kero had been bugging him nonstop. Why he did so Kenshin couldn't even begin to guess.

After Kenshin caught Kaoru when she fainted, Kenshin brought Kaoru into her room. Kenshin hadn't wanted to enter Kaoru's room before, but now that she agreed for them to stay… Plus, a futon was a lot more comfortable than the floor. Kneeling beside Kaoru sleeping in her futon, Kenshin placed the cloth on her forehead, hoping she would awaken soon. It wouldn't be long before the police would come knocking on the gate asking for Kaoru's statement on the situation with Gohei. He gazed at her sleeping face before brushing a couple hairs out of the way. Then he paused. Did she just flinch? _Maybe she's having nightmares…_

"…I should have guessed it. I should have guessed it," Kero continued behind Kenshin. "I should have realized it's the girls. I've never bothered ya before but now every time I mention 'Kaoru' you flinch. Then ya blush." He laughed. "It's kinda like when I started talking 'bout that kid, Syaoran the brat, with Sakura before we came here. Ya need to explain why ya act like that around Kaoru so I can help Sakura and make her stop blushing. It was bad enough with her going 'Yukito-san!' _all_ da time. Everything flew out the window when he was around. Certainly don't want that happening with the brat. It'll give him a big head. And then she'll forget about me. And then ya like the Kaoru woman and I'll be all by myself as ya and her get married and have kids and Sakura and da kid have kids and da kids-"

Annoyed, Kenshin turned to Kero fully intending to put an end to this charade only to have the words die in his throat. Kero pulled on his face and said in a high pitched nasally voice, "Oro? Oro the oreo! Ororo…"

Kenshin exhaled slowly in the face of Kero's hysterical laughter. "This one will buy some _castella_ later if you hide when Kaoru-dono awakes."

"Yay!" Kero cried, all thoughts of pestering Kenshin gone.

Kenshin sighed for a second time. _There are days I think Sakura-chan is more mature than Kero is. And he's the one that supposedly centuries old._

"Mmrgh…" Kaoru rolled away from Kenshin and covered her ears.

"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked concerned. He walked to Kaoru's other side to see her face. She was frowning, her face flushed. "Are you okay?" He gestured to Kero to leave. Kero turned this way and that looking for something to hide behind. Finding nothing, he dropped to the floor and became still.

"Was somebody else in here…? Or were you…?" Kaoru muttered groggily.

"Uh…" Kenshin started, his cheeks heating up.

"That's right!" Kaoru shouted, sitting up straight causing the wet cloth to fall onto her lap. "That hat! Where is it? Where's that freaky little yellow monster?"

As he tried not to smirk Kenshin raised his hands in the air. " _Maa_ , _maa_ , Kaoru-dono. He is no monster, that he isn't."

Eyes narrowing, Kaoru demanded, "What do you mean? What else could it be?"

Picking up the limp Kero off the ground, Kenshin explained, "This is… Sakura-chan's doll, Kero. She has this talent in which she creates different voices and pretends this doll is talking to her." He lifted up Kero's hand towards Kaoru.

Kaoru crossed her arms. "It flew."

Kenshin blinked. Then he moved the wings up and down. "See?" He smiled, proud of himself. Irritated, Kero hit Kenshin's hand with a slight flick of his tail. After a pause, Kaoru humphed, clearly unconvinced.

"Ugly, you awake?" Yahiko opened the shoji door to Kaoru's bedroom.

Frowning, Kaoru scolded, "You're supposed to knock-"

Jerking a thumb behind him, Yahiko said, "Sakura says the police on are their way here. They'll want to see you."

"The police…?" Kaoru's eyebrows scrunched up in puzzlement. "The police!" she cried joyfully, as she pushed the blanket aside and raced down the hall, shouting, "My father's name and dojo is cleared!" Kenshin smiled, satisfied knowing that Kaoru was no longer in danger.

Yahiko also watched Kaoru leave. "Is anyone going to tell her that she has blood on her hakama?" He remarked in an uninterested tone.

"Adds to the credibility of what happened."

"Eh?" asked Yahiko, turning to Kenshin.

"Ahaha," Kenshin laughed, hiding Kero behind his back. "Don't you think so, Yahiko-chan?"

"Don't call me 'chan'!" growled Yahiko as he slammed the shoji door shut. "And I bet they'll want your statement, too, so get out here!"

Kenshin breathed a sigh of relief, thankful for his quick thinking. Over his shoulder he reprimanded, "No _castella_ for you."

"NoooooOOooooOOOoooOOooOOOOO!" Kero wailed.

Kenshin grit his teeth at all the noise Kero was making. Well, Kero was right about one thing. He would enjoy Kaoru's company.

Because she was the first adult he had contact with in what seemed like an eternity.

* * *

"We're going to the Akabeko to celebrate… I'm going to see Tae-san again…." Kaoru sang to herself as she walked the streets of Tokyo.

Seeing Kaoru so happy brought a smile on Kenshin's face. Considering Gohei was murdering people for the past two months, Kenshin had the distinct impression that she hadn't felt happy in a long while. Yahiko clearly felt otherwise and wanted everyone to know it. He kept sighing loudly and rolling his eyes, hoping Kaoru would stop singing. She ignored him. Kenshin smiled at their antics. _They're like siblings themselves._

Sakura walked besides Kenshin. She muttered, "My legs are tired. I miss my roller skates…" She tugged on her skirt. Now that there was no sign of danger she was wearing what she called her school uniform.

Roller skates, Sakura had explained to Kenshin, were an invention of her time in the future. Shoes with wheels on the bottom, she described them. Sounded handy, but with unpaved roads in the Meiji Era making them impossible to use, Sakura quickly abandoned the roller skates she that had transported to this time with her. Despite losing the skates, Sakura seemed to still miss the convenience they gave her.

Without looking down, Kenshin patted Sakura's head. "Maybe you wouldn't be if you hadn't been running away from this one all day yesterday."

Sakura grinned up at Kenshin. "You're the one who thinks the streets are unsafe."

Kenshin shook his head. They had this conversation a thousand times in the past couple of months, unfortunately turning the whole situation into an inside joke. Smiling, he tickled Sakura's side. "You're the one who's going to give this one a heart attack one day when you ran so far this one can't find you, that you will."

Sakura erupted into laughter. "Stop, stop!" She cried. Noticing a lack of noise from their surroundings, Kenshin glanced up to see Kaoru and Yahiko staring at them, confused looks on their faces.

When no one said anything for a couple seconds, Sakura explained, "He was just tickling me." They still continued to stare. "Hoe…" she muttered, hiding behind Kenshin's hakama.

"Kaoru-chan? Is that you?" Everyone looked down the street to see a woman running toward Kaoru. Upon spying her, Kaoru squealed and ran into Tae's embrace. "Kaoru-chan, long time no see!" Tae cried. "How are you? It's been so long since you stopped by my restaurant!" And the two proceeded to speak to each other faster than the speed of sound.

Yahiko grabbed the sleeve of Kenshin's gi and started dragging him towards the Akabeko. "Come on, Kenshin, Sakura. When they get like this they don't stop until hell freezes over. It froze several times already." Yahiko must have been telling the truth because Kaoru hadn't joined them until after their food and drinks were served.

"Coffee?" Sakura asked, looking at the cup placed in front of her. "My dad drinks coffee!" She cried, joyfully. "I've never really tried it though…" Picking up the cup and putting it under her nose, she beamed, "But I like the smell!" Kenshin laughed. Yahiko watched her quietly as though he was still trying to formulate his opinion about Sakura and her weird quirks.

"Hey, everyone. Enjoying yourselves?" Kaoru inquired as she sat across from Kenshin.

"Could you please ask for some cream and five packs of sugar?" Sakura asked Kaoru.

"Five packs of sugar?!" Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko exclaimed. Before Sakura could defend herself, three drinking men sitting in the booth across from them began to shout loudly.

Kenshin listened to the ramblings of the rowdy, drunken men with narrowed eyes. "Activists of the democratic rights movement, it sounds like."

"Seems like gibberish to me," Kaoru remarked.

Yahiko scoffed, "Just a bunch of drunks." He tried a sip of coffee and then gagged. "Maybe some cream and sugar would make this less bitter. Good thinking, Sakura."

"Democratic rights…" Sakura frowned in puzzlement, "Guess there's still a lot about this time that I don't know…"

Kaoru and Yahiko turned to Sakura, confused. "'This time'?"

Realizing Sakura had slipped up, Kenshin scrambled to say, " _Maa_ , _maa_ …"

"Someone call for some cream and sugar?"

Everyone looked up to see a tall, young man with short brownish, black hair place several colored packets on the table.

"Tōya onii-chan!" Sakura cried.

The man winked at her. "Monster."

At the sound of Sakura shouting that name, Kenshin examined the man more closely. Tōya was the name of Sakura' beloved older brother in her time. _But it's impossible for him to be here in the Meiji Era… or is it?_

The man nicknamed Tōya turned to Kenshin, becoming as stiff as a board. He stared at Kenshin, sizing him up. After a moment he bowed formally to Kenshin and left as quickly as he had come. "Oro?" Kenshin asked, dumbfounded by the whole affair.

"Must have been your ancestor, Sakura," Kero whispered to Sakura. "There's no way he transported to this time without magic of his own." Sakura's face fell with disappointment.

Taking advantage of everyone's distraction, Yahiko nabbed some of the packets, tore them open, poured it into his coffee, and drank it.

"Yahiko!" cried Kaoru, indignantly. "Those belong to Sakura!"

" _Maa_ , _maa_ ," Kenshin smiled. Then he paused, sensing something. A bottle crashed into the back of Kenshin's head, shattering it to pieces. He cried out in pain.

"Ken-nii!"

"Kenshin!" Kenshin felt hands grab his shoulders, holding him up and preventing him from falling. "Are you all right?" He held his head as he tried to understand the spinning world. A woman's soft but strong voice talking to him. Kenshin blinked several times before he could make out Kaoru's concerned face looking back at him. He nodded his thanks, still a little too shocked to speak.

Tiny arms enveloped his waist. "Thank goodness." A little girl whimpered. Probably Sakura.

At the edge of his hearing, he could make out Yahiko yelling at the drunken men, demanding that they apologize. Kaoru turned to the activists, releasing Kenshin. Shaking a fist at them, she said, angrily, "This is my celebration for clearing my father's name! How dare you interrupt it?! Yahiko, get ready to give me your shinai."

 _Kaoru-dono… getting in a drunken brawl at a restaurant probably wouldn't be very good for your or the dojo's reputation, that it won't… Not to mention it would be quite a spectacle to see you fight in a kimono._

Kenshin was about to voice his thoughts when Sakura cried, "How could you hurt Ken-nii? He did nothing wrong!"

Despite the pain he was in, Kenshin smiled. _She doesn't completely understand my past, and yet she would do anything to show people that I'm not who I was._

Head finally more or less clear, Kenshin turned to see Tae arrive on the scene. "Sirs… please don't cause any trouble," she trembled.

"What?! Now a woman's mouthing off!" One of the drunken men shouted. He punched her across the face.

"Tae-san!" Kaoru exclaimed, horrified.

An arm caught Tae from behind. A low voice said, "Well, now. Aren't the defenders of human rights supposed to protect the weak? Or are the rights you speak of the rights to get drunk and violent?" He smirked.

Kenshin examined Tae's savior. _Strong. Tall. Dark brown hair with a bandana. Loose happi jacket but bare chested with bandages wrapped around stomach. Based on looks alone, it seems like he could fit in with bunch of drunks. And yet…_

After asking if Tae was all right in the face of the men's boisterous shouting, the man grinned, "Well, I suppose I will 'sell' for a change. I'm usually the one who 'buys' but… I don't like those who pick on the weak. Especially those who bark out pretty words like freedom, justice, and equality. Nothing sickens me like a hypocrite."

Yahiko turned around to glance at Kenshin, a questioning look on his face. Kenshin shrugged. He had no idea who this man was or what he was talking about.

At Tae's insistence, the strange man, the activists, and the costumers who wanted to see the fight gathered outside. The costumers of the restaurant surrounded the man and activists.

Sakura pulled on Kenshin's hakama. "Why are they fighting? What's going on?"

Kenshin's heart twisted. _Oh, Sakura-chan… you're too innocent for this time…_ Smiling a reassuring smile, Kenshin tried to explain. "These men have had too much to drink and are angry that the government isn't listening to their ideas. They're taking it out on other people. The man who saved Tae-dono is going to stop them."

"But why must they fight…?" Sakura muttered, clearly upset and confused. "Can't they talk it out?"

Kenshin frowned, upset that he hadn't done a thing to alleviate her worry. _I suppose it's only natural. You live in a peaceful time where no blood has been shed. Drunken brawls, or fighting in general for that matter, must be an entirely new concept to you._ Feeling a pair of eyes on his back, Kenshin glanced up to see Kaoru. She turned away, pretending she hadn't been watching, but the redness of her cheeks proved otherwise.

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Kenshin looked up in time to witness the young man flicking one of the activists in the forehead strong enough to knock him out. _Sugoi!_

"I've sold a boring fight," the winner scoffed.

Kenshin's gaze flicked to the two other activists that hadn't fought. Sure enough, one of the activists was drawing a weapon. Almost instantly, Kenshin was standing behind the man and had his hand on the guard of the sakabatō. In a quiet but firm tone he said, "This fight is fine as a drunken brawl but you've crossed the line when you drew your concealed blade. Democratic rights deserve support. But you need to straighten yourselves out before you straighten the government. Pay your check and go home."

Without another word, the two activists still conscious grabbed their friend off the ground and skedaddled amidst the crowd's cheering. Watching them go, Kenshin sighed.

Yahiko, Kaoru, and Sakura rushed up to Kenshin. Yahiko pumped his fist in the air and described the fight that had just occurred, "And he barely reacted when one of them hit him with a concealed _suntetsu_ on his forehead! I want to learn from him!" Insulted, Kaoru smacked Yahiko upside the head.

After speaking with Tae for a bit, the mysterious man walked over to Kenshin. "Hey, swordsman, how's the wound on your head?"

 _Why is he asking how I am? He doesn't seem overly concerned about me. He's more smug than worried…_ Aloud, Kenshin said, "Mm. Not so bad, really."

The man smirked. "Good. It'd be too bad if you got seriously wounded from getting hit on purpose." Kaoru gasped in surprised. He explained, "If you'd dodged it, the lady's face would be all bloody right now. You used your head as a shield. Am I wrong?"

 _Startling perceptive. So he's not just a fighter… A former soldier then? No, he's too young._ Kenshin laughed away the man's claim. "You have an active imagination, that you do. You give this one too much credit."

"Such modesty." The widening grin showed that he wasn't buying Kenshin's "modesty". He flexed his arm and challenged, "I like you. Do you want to buy a fight from me? I think it would be a good one."

 _Ahaha… maybe he really is just a fighter looking for fights._ "Thank you but no."

"Why do you want to fight Kenshin nii-chan?! There's no reason to!"

"Sakura-chan?" Kenshin gasped in surprise.

The spiky haired man looked down at the little girl standing in between him and Kenshin. Completely unconcerned for Sakura's opinion of him, he explained, "It's men stuff, little girl. You know, strong fight the strong. You wouldn't understand."

"Yeah." Yahiko crossed his arms and nodded, all serious like. "Men stuff."

"Whatever, kid," laughed the man. Yahiko fumed while Kaoru laughed.

"But why couldn't you just talk to those men?" Sakura asked, the desperation in her voice obvious to everyone.

Ignoring Sakura's pleas, he spoke to Kenshin directly. "Looks like she needs a dose of reality, 'nii _-_ chan'."

Placing his hands on Sakura's shoulders, Kenshin replied a little stiffly, "This one thinks she's fine just the way she is." Kaoru and Yahiko watched Kenshin quietly, surprised by Kenshin's serious tone.

The man shrugged. "Well, if you change your mind buy a fight from me anytime. I'll be at the Gorotsuki Nagaya in the outskirts of the city. Later." Putting his hands in his pockets, he turned and walked away. The symbol on his back took everyone's breath away.

Evil.

"What was that? Is he a good guy or a bad guy?" Kaoru asked, a little stunned. Yahiko humphed loudly, clearly stating his opinion that he was the worst of men because he refused to acknowledge Yahiko's "manliness".

"He was odd…" Kenshin remarked, crossing his arms. _He does like to fight, but he saved Tae-dono. He also mentioned his dislike for those who prey on the weak… Very strange indeed._

Kaoru shook her head. Then she said, "Well, we still have a meal in there that I'm paying for, so let's go finish before it gets any colder." Kaoru and Yahiko started to walk to the Akabeko. She pumped her fists in the air and proclaimed, "It's time to celebrate!" Pausing, she stopped cheering and turned around. "Kenshin, you coming?"

Kenshin looked down at Sakura. Her clenched fists at her side were shaking. She bit her lip as her brows furred from restraining her anger and frustration. He gestured to Sakura. Kaoru nodded her understanding. Without another word, Kaoru and Yahiko departed into the Akabeko along with the other customers. In a short amount of time Kenshin and Sakura were alone.

Kenshin bent his knees until he was level with Sakura and placed both of his hands on Sakura's shoulders, ensuring that he held her gaze. "Sakura-chan, what's wrong?"

"I don't understand…" murmured Sakura. "There's so much I don't understand. I thought I was strong and brave being a Cardcaptor this past year, but… I couldn't do anything when those men starting fighting. I don't know why people would ever choose to fight and, and hurt people instead of trying to talk or why people would be so angry that they threw a bottle at you and hurt you… Just like the people when you found me… Why… why can people be so mean sometimes…?"

Kenshin exhaled slowly. _What a difficult question… how do I explain it to her?_ "Sakura-chan, listen to me. Sometimes people can be a little selfish at times. Or they may think they are doing the right thing, when they are actually doing the wrong thing. That's why this one is a rurouni, that he is. This one travels Japan saving the helpless from evil people."

Sakura shook her head adamantly. She clenched her fists and cried, "There's no such thing as evil people! People are good but they do mean things sometimes! I just don't know why…"

And yet when Kenshin closed his eyes he saw slave drivers, bandits with little regard of the value people's lives, and insane men fighting in the Bakumatsu who loved nothing more than killing… Having no answer for Sakura he patted her shoulder. "You should go finish eating," said Kenshin, changing the subject.

Sakura nodded, but Kenshin could sense her disappointment and sadness. She began to head into the Akabeko, her eyes on the ground. " _Chotto matte_ , Sakura-chan. This one would like to talk to Kero, if you would."

"'Kay." Sakura took off her hat and handed it to Kenshin. She disappeared into the restaurant.

Ducking into an alleyway, Kenshin placed the hat onto his head. "Kero? Sakura said that she transported here into this time through Tokyo Tower, which this one presumes is in Tokyo?"

"Yep. Why, ya never heard of it? Guess it was built after yer time. Why do ya ask?"

"If we go to the place where Tokyo Tower will be built… do you think we'll find some clues? Will it cheer Sakura up even if we don't discover any? Or will the thought of home depress her further?"

"Hmm… hard to say… Though at this point any hope of returning home will probably make her happy. Let me talk to her first though."

Answers acquired, he walked back to the Akabeko. He paused when he thought he heard something. Something that sounded like "thank you". Kenshin smiled. _I guess Kero isn't as half as bad as he pretends to be._

He ducked into the Akabeko and headed over to the booth they had occupied earlier. "Is Sakura-chan here?" Sakura, Kaoru, and Yahiko glanced up from their meal to look at Kenshin. At once they all burst out laughing.

"Oro?" His face flushed crimson as he grabbed Sakura's hat (with a squeak of protest from inside) and shoved it into Sakura's hands. For the thousandth time, he found himself asking, _Why does everything always spin out of control and I end up looking like an idiot?_

* * *

Despite Kenshin's protests behind her, Sakura ran ahead slipping into the crowds, completely content if she would disappear entirely. She missed home like she would have missed a lost arm or leg. So when Kero whispered to her his idea of visiting the site where Tokyo Tower would be built, the place she teleported into this time from, to search for clues, Sakura jumped up at the opportunity. She was all ready to leave Akabeko, however she felt a tug on her sleeve that stopped her.

"Sakura-chan," Kaoru smiled, tucking a strand of Sakura's hair behind her ear. "I know you're a little upset but just remember, courage isn't the absence of fear. Courage is facing fear. I get the feeling you are a very brave girl, so keep your head up. If not for your sake then for Kenshin's sake be happy, okay? He's going to get worried if you don't start smiling soon." Kaoru cocked her head and smiled brightly.

Instantly Sakura felt better. It was almost as though she was talking to Mizuki, her former teacher that Sakura loved dearly. Sakura smiled back at Kaoru. "Nii-chan's always worrying about me and I don't know why." Kaoru and Yahiko laughed. Stepping out of the booth, she waved, " _Ja ne_!"

As she ran out of the Akabeko, she heard Kenshin say a heartfelt, "Thank you, Kaoru-dono," and then, " _Oi_! Sakura-chan, _matte_!"

Now that Sakura finally had a lead to going home there was no turning back. Quickly the distance between her and Kenshin grew wider as Sakura's head swirled with thoughts of returning home.

" _Oi_ , Sakura," Kero said from under her hat. "Do you even know where you going?"

Sakura stopped in her tracks. "Oh! I guess not!" Kero sighed loudly.

Sakura stood by a vendor's store as she waited for Kenshin to catch up to her. A few seconds later Kenshin appeared by her side. He thrust out a hand towards her and ordered, "Hand." Sakura frowned. She didn't like holding hands with him; it seemed like such a babyish thing to do. At least, Tōya would never, ever want Sakura to hold hands with him. Ever. And her father didn't care if she visited stores in Tokyo by herself. But Kenshin… he was just so different from her family. Overprotective to the hundredth degree.

"Hand," Kenshin demanded when Sakura didn't comply right away. With a small sigh, Sakura slipped her hand into Kenshin's larger hand. Kenshin gripped Sakura's hand tightly as he whispered, "Do you or Kero know where Tokyo Tower will be built? It doesn't exist now."

"Tokyo Tower is in Minato ward, southwest of the Imperial Castle," Kero explained.

"Imperial Castle…" Kenshin muttered. "You must mean Edo Castle, that you do. It'll be quite a bit until we reach there. Let's get started then. But stay close. The area is filled with people… people that it would be better if this one didn't tangle with them." Sakura nodded her understanding.

Over an hour later they the newly created Akasaka ward, which was close to the location of the Tokyo Tower. Excited, she ran forward, flitting from the different stores dotting the hillside. She glanced behind her to see Kenshin following at a distance, his head down, hidden by the straw hat he bought on the way here. _I guess it's because of those people Ken-nii mentioned…_ She thought, frowning.

Sakura whispered to Kero, "Where do we go from here?"

"Well…" Kero started. "I don't remember exactly where Tokyo Tower is especially with all the buildings being different. We should just explore the area and see what we can find."

Sakura nodded, smiling. "Let's go!" Sakura continued traveling through the streets. The more she climbed the hillside, the stores became transplanted with grand buildings and large houses. The architecture was completely different from her own neighborhood, she couldn't help but stare. They seemed to pop out of the pictures in her history textbook. _History textbook!_ Sakura thought gleefully. _When I return home I'll be able to go to school again! And see my friends and take tests like a normal girl my age… I can't possibly wait any longer!_ Sakura was about to turn down a narrow, side street when she felt it:

 _A Clow Card!_

"This way!" Sakura bolted down the street, refusing to slow down at Kenshin's cries behind her. As she ran, she grasped the key shaped pink pendant hanging around her neck, ready for a fight. As the Cardcaptor it was her duty to capture any unsealed Clow Cards, whether in the present or in the past. Although, Sakura had to wonder why all the cards had changed from Sakura Cards to Clow Cards when she entered this time and why her pendant also reverted back to its original form. _Maybe the Clow Cards of the Meiji era are the Clow Cards of this time and not the Sakura Cards of the present. But that this doesn't explain my wand…_

Sakura shook her head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking such things when a card was on the loose, possibly causing damage. Eyes constantly scanning the area for anything unusual that would signify a Clow Card's presence, Sakura continued deeper into the streets until they narrowed into alleyways.

Left, right, second left, left, right… Sakura followed the alleyway until she was stopped by a dead end. "Hoe!" Sakura cried. "But the card is nearby… I can feel it." She walked toward the wall blocking her progress and touched it, reaching out her internal senses for the card. _It is there! Right beyond this wall._

"Kero-chan?" Sakura pleaded for guidance.

"Sorry, Sakura. But ya shouldn't really use the Fly or Jump cards in such a big city. Ya havfta turn around."

"Right!" Sakura wouldn't let something like a stupid wall get in her way of finding the first Clow Card she discovered in months. She turned around and threw herself headlong into another alleyway, the light of the sun beginning to fade into darkness as the sun set.

Right, right, left, straight, second right, left, third left… Sakura tried to take four rights to lead her behind the wall but the pathways didn't allow her. Sakura ran on anyway, searching for another route but she was forced to take a break. Out of breath, Sakura put her hands on her knees. "Kero-chan… I… I don't feel the Clow Card anymore…"

Kero popped his head out from underneath her hat. "It must have disappeared. But don't worry, we'll find it again. The card probably felt yer presence so it'll only be a matter of time until it appears again."

Sakura spun on her heels toward the way she had just came. "But that's what you said that other time and we hadn't seen it until three weeks later! We're so close to going home… we just have to try! We can't give up!"

"Sakura-" Sakura pulled the hat over Kero and continued running.

Left, fourth right, second right, right…

Third left, right, fifth right, second left, right, right…

Right, third left, left, second right, right, left, second right, left, left, left, left, left, left…

Despite of the stabbing pain in her side and her aching legs and feet, Sakura continued to run forward, refusing to stop for anything. All these months she had been trapped in this time period she had craved for the freedom she had felt when flying high in the clouds using the Fly card. She longed for the sense of security and happiness she had experienced whenever she returned home after school. But most of all she wanted… hope. Hope that someday, there would be at least a chance that she could return home and hear Tōya teasingly call her a monster, see her father's reassuring smile, Tomoyo with her video camera, and Syaoran… And yet the deeper she traveled into the network of alleyways, the more her hopes began to slip away.

 _No! I can't give up!_ Sakura forced herself to pump her legs. Left. Then right. Then left again. _My family, my friends! They're all waiting for me to come home!_ However, her weary legs wouldn't cooperate. With a cry, Sakura tripped over her own two feet and landed facedown into the muddy ground. Sakura told her body to stand up, but it didn't move. She was so exhausted she couldn't even see straight. All she saw before her was the growing darkness and coldness of the night.

"Sakura?" Kero asked tentatively, his head poking out from underneath the hat.

At his voice, tears began to well up in Sakura's eyes. His voice reminded her of all the days she would return home from school to see him losing a fighting match in a video game and eating a cookie he stole from the kitchen. _Home… I thought I was going home… but here I am completely lost and alone…_

Never had Sakura been alone. After her mother died when she was a child, Sakura had her father smiling through the pain and her older brother who always teased her but meant well. Even when she became the Cardcaptor and had to keep her new identity a secret from her family and the world, she still had Kero as a guide, Tomoyo, her constant companion and best friend, and Syaoran who would help her capture cards. She was always surrounded by love and it gave her the courage to face the unimaginable. But… but now…

Sakura was surprised to find being alone physically painful. Her chest felt like it was being ripped into two, her eyes stung which made it impossible to see, and her legs became immovable lead pipes. For the past year, she had believed there was a card for every situation imaginable. But while laying in the mud a revelation smacked her dead in the face.

There's no Clow Card that can heal a broken heart.

"Sakura? Sakura!" Kero slipped out from the hat and stood in front of her face. "Sakura, don't cry. It'll be all right. We got each other. We can make this together."

" _We can make this together"?!_ What a horrible joke. Suddenly, anger thrummed through Sakura, giving her the strength to pull herself up into a sitting position. What kind of world would depend on a little fifth grader to become a magician, capture dangerous cards, master their power, and keep the world in magical balance? A mean one. A cruel, cruel world.

"Do you know of a way home?" Sakura whispered, her face obscured by her hat and hair.

"Eh?" Kero asked.

"Do you know of a way home?" repeated Sakura, her voice never rising.

"S-Sakura…"

"Well?"

"…" Kero lowered his head, his eyes on the ground. "Sa…" He sighed. "It's just…" Kero paused, sighing again. "…N… N…N-No…"

At Kero's answer, Sakura's fingers clawed their way into the ground and Sakura bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Head whipping up, Sakura shouted, "Then what's the point of capturing cards?! What was the point of dreaming? Of hoping for a good future?" She held the sides of her head and she shook her head. "I'm alone. All alone… Nothing…" Tears streamed down her face as she screamed, "Nothing matters anymore!"

Kero stared at Sakura in shock. As her words sunk in, he hung his head in defeat. "I'm sorry, Sakura…" Kero murmured, his voice barely audible.

Sakura's body racked with sobs. The misery she felt caused her to bend close to the ground. _I'm never going home… I'm never going home…_

 _I am never going home ever again._

"Sakura-chan!"

Sakura froze. The voice was familiar, but who did she know in this time period?

Sakura listened to the sound of feet smacking the wet ground approach her and stop by her side. A warm hand touched her shoulder. A worried voice cried, "Sakura-chan! Are you okay?"

Sakura's entire body trembled. She didn't want to dream. It led to heart break. She didn't want to believe what was happening was real. Reality had already been twisted before her eyes with magic. She didn't want to breathe.

In case it spoiled the moment, the moment hope began to rush into her again.

Slowly, ever so slowly Sakura lifted her head. There was Kenshin sitting beside her, sweaty and out of breath. His eyes were filled with concern, but his lips turned upward into a small smile as he gently chided, "This is why we hold hands, you silly, silly girl."

"Red head!" Kero cried somewhat belatedly.

"Ken… Ken… Ken," Sakura hiccupped. " _Kenshin nii-chan_!"

Sakura flew into Kenshin's arms, sobbing harder than before. Kenshin rubbed her back and rocked her, as he murmured, "It's all right now. This one found you. It's all right. It's all right. This one won't let you be in any danger. You're safe. You're safe now." When Sakura continued to cry without any signs of stopping, Kenshin released the hug so he could see Sakura's face. He held Sakura's face in both of his hands. In a serious tone, he ordered, "Sakura-chan. Listen to this one. You aren't alone in this time. You have this one and Kero. You must never forget that."

Sakura wiped her muddy and tear streaked face, but more tears quickly replaced the ones she brushed away. "I need you, so, so much… You won't leave me? Promise? We'll be together forever?"

Sakura could have spotted the reluctance in Kenshin's eyes a mile away. "Sakura… This one can't…"

Sakura threw her arms around Kenshin. Gripping Kenshin in a death grip, she shouted in his ear, "TOGETHER FOREVER?!"

Kenshin stiffened in surprise at the forcefulness of Sakura's words. After a long, agonizing moment, Kenshin hugged Sakura back fiercely and whispered, "This one promises, Sakura-chan. We'll be together forever. You, this one, and Kero."

" _Yokatta_. _Yokatta_ ," sobbed Sakura into Kenshin's shoulder. She buried herself deeper into him, never wanting to let him go. This world wasn't cruel if Kenshin was in it, not when Kenshin was so kind. She could dream and have hope again if Kenshin kept smiling, because his smile reminded Sakura of home. And Sakura could find her courage to do the impossible from Kenshin's love and support. Sakura had to make it home, no matter what the cost, even if it took her the rest of her life. She refused to let her family and friend experience she same loneliness she had just felt lying in the mud. With Kenshin by her side, she, too, would never have to experience that heart breaking agony ever again.

 _How could I have forgotten my older brother and Kero-chan?_ "Ken-nii, Kero-chan…" She muttered, her eyelids suddenly heavy. "I'm sorry… Forgive me…"

Emotionally drained and physically weary, Sakura didn't protest when Kenshin released the hug and put her on his back. He picked her up and began the walk the long walk home. Her head rested on Kenshin's shoulder and her eyes began to close as she fell asleep to Kenshin's soothing voice telling her she was safe.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms (in order they appear within the chapter):

Himura Kenshin-Kenshin is rurouni, a wanderer, and the former hitokiri Battōsai. He has unusual red hair and violet eyes. On the shorter side, at a glance Kenshin is often mistaken to be a woman. In addition, though he is 28, he looks about ten years younger. He learned his sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, from his master. When he was fourteen, he ran away from his Master to fight in the civil war, during the Bakumatsu, hoping to defend the weak. Kenshin joined the Ishin Shishi, who were determined to topple the corrupt Japanese government and bring equality to Japan citizens. Because of Kenshin's great skills as a swordsman and Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he became hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin fought for five years. Afterwards he disappeared and traveled Japan, becoming a rurouni. As a rurouni, Kenshin protected people with his sakabatō, but because of his bloody past, he never stayed in one place for long. Two months before he entered Tokyo, Kenshin met Sakura and the two began to travel together. Kenshin is a fictional character, but the history of the Bakumatsu and the Ishin Shishi are real.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings and can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is Kero's master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards to fight the rampaging Clow Cards as well as her magic wand.

Futon-Japanese mattress that is put on the floor and used as a bed.

Li Syaoran- Syaoran is an eleven-year-old boy from Hong Kong. He is the youngest member of the Li family, a magical family that can trace its history all the way back to Clow Reed. In the beginning of the anime/manga Syaoran's arrogance cause a competition of sorts between him and Sakura to capture the Clow Cards, however, as the series progressed, Syaoran began to respect and then love Sakura. While Syaoran has magic of his own and can use the Clow Cards he helped capture, because Syaoran is not the Cardcaptor, he cannot seal Clow Cards through his own power.

Yukito-Yukito is Tōya's best friend from the future. For a long time, Sakura had a crush on him and she would often blush and stammer in his presence. By the end of the anime/manga Yukito helps Sakura sort through her feelings. Sakura realizes that she sees Yukito as more of a second father or as part of her family.

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Castella- Castella is a Japanese sponge cake that existed in the Meiji Era. Because candy in the modern sense doesn't really exist in the Meiji Era, I have Kenshin offer castella to Kero instead.

Maa, maa-Now, now; used to calm people down (In Kenshin's case usually unsuccessfully :) )

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

"that it is", "that I am", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

Shoji-the name of the sliding doors in Japan (as opposed to a Western door that opens and closes on a hinge)

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. (I could go in more detail as a hakama isn't really pants in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

Akabeko-Akabeko is a beef pot restaurant owned by Tae's father. In Meiji, beef pot was seen as a representative of European food, and, thanks to its cheap price, was available and popular among the general public.

Tae-Tae is Kaoru's best friend. Her father owns the Akabeko, but she helps manage the business as well. She and her father are the boss of Yahiko and Tsubame, who work at the Akabeko. Tae is in her twenties and is still single, a fact that bothers he greatly.

Meiji Era-period of time from 1868 to 1912. Rurouni Kenshin series (and this story) takes place in the eleventh year of Meiji, 1878. Following the collapse of the shogun, the corrupt Japanese government, in the Bakumatsu, a new emperor succeed the throne. Meiji era is an era of time marked by the transition between the feudal era to becoming more modern by the influence of Western countries.

Hoe-Hoe is a made up word that is Sakura's trademark. She uses it when confused, embarrassed, or surprised. As far as I know it has no meaning other than conveying Sakura's feelings.

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. (I could go in more detail as a gi isn't really a shirt in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

Tōya-Tōya is Sakura's biological older brother from the future. He often teases Sakura, calling her a monster for stomping around the house and getting angry. Tōya is known for getting a lot of part time times and spending time volunteering. Throughout the manga/anime, Tōya often had jobs or volunteered at places that Sakura was visiting or capturing Clow Cards. This occurs so often that it is hypothesized that Tōya uses these jobs to watch over Sakura.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of onii or and the "san" honorific instead of the "chan" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Kimono-a long, loose robe with large sleeves that is tied by the waist with a sash, called an _obi_. Men and women can wear it. In this time, men can wear gis and hakamas instead if they were samurai, but women typically only wore kimonos.

Happi- Japanese jacket that Sano wears. (I could go in more detail as a happi isn't really a jacket in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

Sugoi-amazing

Sakabatō-Kenshin's reverse blade sword. The dull side of the blade is where the sharp edge should be and vice versa. In this way, Kenshin can fight with a sword but not kill, only breaking bones instead. It is a symbol of Kenshin's vow never to kill again. Kenshin has carried the sakabatō for ten years as he traveled as a rurouni.

Suntetsu-A concealed weapon from the Meiji Era. It is meant to be palmed and has a sharp point at one end. The drunken man the fighter for hire was facing used a suntetsu on the fighter for hire, but the fighter for hire was unaffected.

Cardcaptor-Sakura is the Cardcaptor, meaning that it is her responsibility to recapture the freed Clow Cards and become their master.

Rurouni-Rurouni is a made up term created from the words " _ru_ " which means to wander and " _ronin_ " or masterless samurai. (Note: Kenshin did have a Master, but he ran away to fight with the Ishin Shishi, cutting off all ties with him) After fighting for the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin traveled Japan for ten years as a rurouni. Carrying his sakabatō, Kenshin protected people, but he never stayed in any place for long. By helping as many people as possible as a wandering rurouni, Kenshin hoped to repent for the murders he committed as a hitokiri Battōsai. As a rurouni, Kenshin often masks his true feelings behind a smile and acting as though he is less skilled with a sword than he really is.

Bakumatsu-Before the Bakumatsu, the Japanese government closed its doors to foreigners and had three hundred years of peace. The arrival the American black ships carrying a message that the US wanted to trade with Japan forced Japan to realize how far behind they were. Some people believed for the sake of the country progressing, they had to open its borders, but others refused. This fight carried into the Bakumatsu. According to Rurouni Kenshin Restoration manga the Bakumatsu is a "fifteen year period between the arrival of the black ships at Japan and the Meiji Restoration… those wielding swords divided between the Tokugawa shognate forces and the Ishin Shishi (pro imperialist patriots) battled each other." Kyoto, the capital of Japan at that time, was were the battles were the fiercest and where Kenshin fought for a long time. While the Bakumatsu is a fifteen year period, it is important to note, that this time period wasn't completely filled with war. However, when Bakumatsu is mentioned in the story (or manga) it always refers to the war.

Chotto matte-Wait a moment

Mizuki-Sakura's teacher for a time and friend. She possesses great magical power of her own and has helped Sakura during her times of need. Because of Mizuki's magic, Sakura's magic was drawn to Mizuki. This had the effect of Sakura really liking Mizuki as a person and friend, even though Sakura wasn't sure if she could trust Mizuki.

Ja ne-See you later

Oi-hey

Matte-wait

Tōya-Tōya is Sakura's biological older brother from the present. He often teases Sakura, calling her a monster for stomping around the house. Tōya is known for getting a lot of part time jobs and spending time volunteering. Throughout the manga/anime, Tōya often had jobs or volunteered at places that Sakura was visiting or capturing Clow Cards. This occurs so often that it is hypothesized that Tōya uses these jobs to watch over Sakura.

Sakura's father-Sakura's father is a kind man whose wife died when Sakura was very young. He is an archaeologist and teaches at a university. Between being busy because of his job and his Type B personality, he is very lax about creating rules and upholding them within the household. In other words, Tōya and Sakura are allowed to do whatever they want as long as they complete their chores.

Minato ward-The ward or district of Tokyo that Tokyo Tower is in.

Imperial/Edo Castle-Imperial Castle is a castle in Tokyo that is the residence of the emperor of Japan. In the Meiji Era it is called Edo Castle.

Akasaka Ward-Akasaka ward, or district, is a neighboring ward to the Minato Ward. In Meiji Era the Akasaka ward was a shopping and residential area that had a large hill.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Sakura's wand-Sakura uses a pink wand to direct her magic when capturing a Clow Card. When she is not using the wand, it transforms into a pendant that is shaped like a key. She must use a chant to release the wand from its key pendant form. When Sakura was transforming the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, the wand also changed. It became a Star Wand. In the Meiji Era however, the wand is in its original state and not a Star Wand.

Fly-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Fly in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Fly's normal form is a giant bird. Sakura uses the Fly card to produce wings on her wand and fly on the wand. Sakura also has the ability to make the wings appear on her back instead of the wand, allowing her to use the wand for other magic.

Jump-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Jump in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Jump's normal form is a bunny. Sakura uses the Jump Card to jump to high elevations and avoid attacks.

Tomoyo-Sakura's best friend in the present. She helps Sakura capture the Clow Cards, although she has no magic of her own. When the two of them chase down Clow Cards, Tomoyo records Sakura. She also creates a bunch of costumes for Sakura and Kero and encourages Sakura to pose after capturing cards, much to Sakura's embarrassment. Kero, however, loves being in the spotlight.

Yokatta-Thank goodness; used to express happiness and relief

* * *

I did some research about Tokyo Tower and the different wards in Tokyo so I hope it's accurate. The people Kenshin wants to avoid are the damiyo. The damiyo, you could say, are leaders of the different areas of Japan. After the Bakumatsu many, if not all, of the damiyo were forced to relocate to Tokyo. Some of the damiyo supported the shogun, the opposite side of the war Kenshin fought in, so it's possible Kenshin killed some of members of the damiyo's families and would want revenge against Kenshin. All of this is too complicated for Kenshin to explain to Sakura to understand, so I left it out of the story.

Hello, yasha! Thank you for taking the time to review, even if you didn't have much to say. It means a lot to me. I'm glad you think it's well written! I just hope I wrote this chapter as well as the first because it's the first time I was writing character development in this story.

Hello, Abby! Nice to meet you. I'm happy that you think the story is cute! Personally I think Sakura is adorable and I love writing her and doing her antics. Thank you for saying that my writing is nice. I always try to add humor wherever I can in my stories. With everyone in RK teasing each other all the time, it makes writing them fun. As for Syaoran appearing… well, as you can see, introducing Sano is going to take two chapters. After that, chapter three is about Kenshin and Sakura's first meeting. And after that… maaaaaaybe. :) You'll just have to see!

Next chapter: Kenshin and Sakura's peaceful day at the dojo is interrupted when Sano visits the dojo, demanding a fight from Kenshin! But how can Kenshin fight Sano if Sano has a Clow Card?

Thanks for reading, everyone! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do writing it!


	4. Cardcaptor Sakura Bursts Forth!

Here is the fight between Kenshin and Sano Cardcaptor Style and the resolution to Sakura's troubles concerning her feelings about being trapped in this time. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura series or their characters.

* * *

CHAPTER THREE

Cardcaptor Sakura Bursts Forth!

Peering into the dojo, Sakura watched the two figures in the dojo, trying her best to remain unseen.

"For the thousandth time, raise your arms!"

"I don't want to! It makes me look like a retard!"

"You do not look like a retard." A pause. Then Kaoru muttered, "Most of the time anyway."

" _Busu_!"

"I am the master, you are the student and you listen to me!" Kaoru cried, all but stomping her foot in anger.

"No." Yahiko crossed his arms.

"Grrargh!" With a wave of her hand, Kaoru said, "Do another hundred swings and I don't want to hear another protest from you for the rest of the day!" When Kaoru began to walk towards Sakura's hiding spot, Sakura gave a small cry and scurried back to Kenshin's side. Kaoru exited the dojo and sat on the engawa, facing Kenshin, who was in the middle of hanging laundry and Sakura who had just returned to the task.

Sakura had been watching Kaoru teach Yahiko (or the two of them arguing) for the past hour as she helped Kenshin with the various chores. She was fascinated by the whole concept of swordsmanship. The shinai reminded her of the sword Syaoran would always carry, but never use as a real sword was intended to be wielded. This, then, was the first time she had ever seen anything like sword fighting, aside from the few times she saw Kenshin use the sakabatō on their travels. But he was so fast, she could never make out individual moves.

Sakura glanced up at Kenshin, hoping to gage by his reaction whether or not she should try to help smooth matters over between Kaoru and Yahiko. A small smile was on Kenshin's face as he hung a gi on the line. Sakura shrugged. Maybe this sort of thing was commonplace between Kaoru and Yahiko. She didn't know. Or maybe Kenshin was just smiling because he liked doing the laundry. Sakura giggled. _Nii-chan is so funny and weird._

"Thank you, Kenshin, Sakura-chan."

Kenshin nodded and replied, "It's the least this one can do for you, Kaoru-dono."

Sakura looked up to see Kaoru smiling at her. Earlier this morning, Kaoru hadn't questioned why Sakura had returned last night in such a disheveled state. Although Sakura felt Kaoru should have, considering Sakura had clearly ignored Kaoru's advice. Kaoru only asked if there was something she could do for Sakura. _Kaoru onee-san is so nice!_ thought Sakura, her heart filling with warmth that replaced the last bits of sadness from yesterday. Moved with joy Sakura spun in a circle with another gi in her hands, before handing it to Kenshin. "You're very welcome!" she cried while spinning. Kenshin and Kaoru laughed at Sakura's behavior.

In between scrubbing the clothes, Sakura continued to peer at Yahiko training. After handing a hakama to Kenshin, Sakura secretly mimicked Yahiko's movements, but she didn't go unnoticed.

Yahiko grinned and asked, "Do you want to try, Sakura?"

Kaoru's face lit up. She clapped her hands and invited, "That's a great idea! Why don't I give you a lesson?"

"Really? You will?" Sakura gasped, surprised. "Yes, please!" She shouted as she jumped up and ran into the dojo.

Kaoru handed Sakura a shinai and taught her the proper way of holding it. "Now try an overhanded swing while stepping forward. Like this." Kaoru demonstrated the simple technique.

Sakura memorized the way Kaoru had moved and swung the shinai. She stared at her own hands gripped in the shinai, deep in concentration. She knew this. Sure, it had been a while, but could still do it. She would get this right and prove it to everyone that she was a capable and dependable person. Sakura raised the shinai and brought it down.

" _Release_!"

"Re… what?" Yahiko asked, confused by Sakura's use of English.

"No, Sakura-chan, you got the form all wrong," Kaoru lightly corrected. "And you didn't step forward."

Sakura's cheeks flushed as she realized her mistake. She glanced over to Kenshin, who knew exactly what had happened. Instead of preforming the move Kaoru wanted, she said the chant for releasing her wand from its key pendant form. Kenshin shook his head, greatly amused. Kero popped out his hair just so Sakura could see him face palm.

"Hoe…" Sakura muttered to herself, embarrassed.

All of sudden, Kenshin's head jerked up, looking towards the gates of the property. He dropped the kimono he was holding and ran towards the gates.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried, chasing after him. She stopped at the dojo doors and turned around. "The two of you stay here. Yahiko, do a hundred swings!" With that order she dashed after Kenshin.

Sakura and Yahiko shared a glance, unsure of what to do. Then Yahiko began to swing his shinai extremely fast as he counted to a hundred. "One, two, three, four, five…"

When Yahiko had counted to a hundred, Sakura and Yahiko ran outside. They halted in their tracks in shock when they beheld the young man from the Akabeko standing outside the open gates. Resting upon his shoulders was something large and long wrapped up in bandages. Kenshin faced the young man. Sakura noted Kenshin's hand crept closer to his sakabatō. Kaoru, who was still a little behind Kenshin, seemed to have noticed as well.

 _Another fight…_ Sakura thought, dismal. Then she froze as she sensed something.

"…This one does not understand," said Kenshin. "Why do you, who can't stand to see those who oppress the weak, work as a professional fighter? And why do you wear the symbol for evil on your back? Your soul is straight and honest, that it is… but right now you've gone badly askew. What has turned you so out of line?"

The man's eyes widened in surprise, probably because of Kenshin's ability to perceive his character. After a moment he smiled, "If you really want to know, fight and beat me! But I'll say this at least, hitokiri Battōsai, I believe all revolutionary warriors are hypocrites, in the name of justice changing the world in ways that would benefit them and getting rid of those in the way. Even if that means twisting and hiding the truth. This 'equality' the talk about is all a lie. I want to crush the hitokiri whom the songs call the greatest of the Ishin Shishi!"

After a moment spent in silence, Kenshin turned to Yahiko. "Surprised, Yahiko?" he whispered.

"Hitokiri Battōsai…" muttered Yahiko to himself. "It's funny… I don't feel afraid knowing you were the hitokiri Battōsai. In fact… it makes more sense now why you're so good, with him carrying that sakabatō that can't kill."

Kenshin watched Yahiko before smiling sadly. Turning, Kenshin faced the man at the gates again. Sakura couldn't see Kenshin very well because she stood behind him, but she sensed how tense he was. Kenshin sighed and slumped his shoulders. "All right, then. It seems this one must fight you, that he does."

"Kenshin!" Kaoru gasped in surprise.

Wordlessly, Sakura walked up beside Kenshin. Kenshin looked down at her and smiled sadly. "This one knows that you don't want him to fight, Sakura-chan. But it can't be help-"

Sakura paused, saddened that yet again Kenshin would have to take up his sakabatō and fight because of his past, though it pained him so. However, now wasn't the time. Sakura made a circle with her fingers and then pointed at the young man. Kenshin's eyes widened in surprise. Growing serious, he nodded his understanding of the message conveyed by Sakura's signals.

 _A Clow Card. The man has it._

Everyone else completely missed their exchange. The young man said, "This place is too small for a fight. Let's go to the riverbank."

When everyone, including Kaoru and Yahiko, arrived at the slightly rocky riverbed, the man said, "Oh, yeah. I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Sagara Sanosuke. I'm known in the darker alleys as 'Zanza'." Sano began to rip the bandages off the large pole he carried. It revealed a long flattened blade. "This zanbatō is an antique. Even though the zanbatō is the largest and heaviest blades ever created, my zanbatō here has no edge at all. I can only use it to smash …and crush." He grinned. "Let's go, Battōsai."

Kenshin unsheathed the sakabatō, entering into a fighting position. "Himura 'Rurouni' Kenshin will face you with this."

Sakura folded her hands together, her hands clasping the key shaped pendant around her neck. She and Kenshin had discussed strategy on the way over to the river, but still… Sensing Sakura's distress, Kero whispered from underneath her school uniform hat, "It's just as I thought. Don't worry. We know the red head can take care of himself. When the time comes, we'll know what to do." Sakura nodded, but his words hadn't done much to ease her anxiety. _It's a good thing Kero-chan is hiding in my hat now instead of with Ken-nii. He won't be in danger's way… at least for now._

"I've heard that you've grown soft and adopted the idea of not killing anyone, wielding a sakabatō that can't kill," said Sano, hoisting the zanbatō. "Let go of your vow. Or else…" Sano lunged at Kenshin, shouting, "…you'll die!"

Kaoru gasped, "He's fast! And with a weapon that heavy!" Her concern for Kenshin was clearly evident from the tone of her voice.

However, Sakura had witnessed Kenshin in action multiple times, and though she couldn't believe it, she knew Kenshin would have thought Sano's move was slow. Kenshin leapt up into the air, dodging's Sano strike at the ground with the zanbatō. Before Sano could lift the zanbatō again, Kenshin struck Sano's side with the sakabatō, knocking Sano into the dirt. Yahiko cheered, thinking Kenshin had already won. Sakura knew better and she gripped her pendant harder.

To Yahiko and Kaoru's surprise, Sano slowly rose and picked himself up off the ground, gripping the zanbatō in a reserve grip. "His real strength isn't the zanbatō," Kaoru marveled. "It isn't even the monstrous power that takes down a giant man in one flick. He didn't flinch when he got hit in the head with a _suntetsu_. His strength is his inhuman toughness!"

Sakura heard Kaoru's explanation, but she didn't digest it. She was too focused on Sano's glassy, blank eyes… eyes that she had seen before.

Instead of speaking a comeback, Sano adjusted the grip on his zanbatō and held the zanbatō over his shoulder, about to swing it at Kenshin. Before everyone's eyes Kenshin disappeared, reappearing on top of the zanbatō itself.

"Ken-nii, no!" Sakura shouted, knowing what was going to happen.

"The zanbatō-" started Kenshin, but his eyes widened in shock as the zanbatō moved as though it had a mind of its own. Almost faster than physically possible, the zanbatō swung, sending Kenshin speeding towards a large boulder. If Kenshin smashed into the boulder with that much force he would die instantly, his bones shattering.

"KENSHIN!" Kaoru screamed.

Sakura ran towards Kenshin as she cried a magical incantation that Kero taught her long ago when they first meet. "O key that conceals the power of darkness reveal your true nature to me, by my power. I command you, _RELEASE!_ " Sakura's key shaped pendant grew into the size of a large wand. "Card created by Clow, lend your powers to my Key!" A Clow Card appeared in between her fingers. "Transfer the magic dwelling within this card to my Key…" Sakura's school uniform transformed into her pink dress of the Cardcaptor. Without hesitation she threw the card into the air. "…and grant me your power! Windy!" She swung the wand into the Clow Card.

The Clow Card responded to its master's wish and gusts of wind blasted out of the card. With inches just to spare, the wind pushed Kenshin past the side of the boulder and into the river. A spray of water thirty feet high flew into the air.

"Hoe!" Sakura cried, horrified by her mistake. She ran to the riverbank, crying, "Don't drown, Kenshin nii-chan!" Kaoru and Yahiko followed Sakura, equally as terrified for Kenshin. They watched the river, waiting for any sign that Kenshin still lived.

Sakura's heart thudded in her chest, threatening to burst from stress, when Kenshin broke the water, gasping for breath. He swam to the riverbank where he was helped by Kaoru and Yahiko onto the shore. Kenshin coughed up water for several seconds before he said, "And here this one thought Sano had a card of 'Toughness', that he did. Guess not." He smiled at Sakura. "Thanks for the save, Sakura-chan."

Sakura wilted with relief. Kero popped out from underneath Sakura's hat and flew by her side. He pointed to Sano and warned, "It's not over yet, red head! Look, he's been standing there all this time, completely indifferent to the whole situation. A clear sign he's been possessed by a Clow Card!" As Kero spoke not even so much as a smirk graced Sano's face.

"Clow Card?" Yahiko asked, confused. Kaoru gaped at the sight of Kero flying, looking a little green.

Kenshin stood up and flicked his wet ponytail from the front to his back with a twist of his head. "The zanbatō, right?"

"The Sword Clow Card, to be precise," Kero corrected. He crossed his arms and frowned in thought. "It must love this era with all the different kinds of blades and weapons to control. And people, too," he added.

Sakura exhaled, blowing her fears away and becoming the determined Cardcaptor she had been so many times before. She turned to Sano and explained to Kenshin, "If you knock Sanosuke-san unconscious the Sword Clow Card should release him, either becoming its normal form, or possessing someone else who has a sword." She looked up into Kenshin's eyes and said, "Probably you. And with the sword giving Sanosuke-san magical speed and power, you can't defeat them on your own... We have to work together. We only have one chance."

Kenshin nodded at her. "This one understands." His hands played with the hilt of the sakabatō, then gripped it tightly as he crouched low to the ground. "Code bird then?" He grinned.

Well they had pretty much done it already, but Sakura couldn't think of any better options with so few cards at her disposable. She ran behind Kenshin, brandishing the wand in front of her in one hand and the Clow Card in between her fingers of the other hand. "Go!" she ordered.

Kenshin bolted forward, holding the sakabatō low to the ground as Sakura began to chant. "Wind become a binding chain, Windy!" She slammed her wand into the Windy card and a form of a female spirit with long hair materialized out of the card.

Kero shouted, "Red head, now!"

At Kero's signal, Kenshin jumped. The winds emitting from the spirit lifted him up and propelled him towards Sano at a rocket launching speed. Sano lifted the zanbatō off his shoulder and aimed it Kenshin, ready to skewer him. However the spirit rushed past Kenshin and wrapped herself around the zanbatō, effectively binding it. Kenshin swung the sakabatō with all his might at Sano's shoulder. Using the momentum of his swing and the wind, Kenshin flipped over Sano's head and landed on the ground behind Sano. Sano collapsed.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru gasped. "Are you okay?"

Kaoru was about to run to Kenshin's side, when Kero stopped her. "No, _matte_!" He pointed to the form of a glowing sword that appeared above Sano's form on the ground. It spun slowly in the air then pointed at Kenshin. It flew towards Kenshin aiming for his heart.

"Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Card!" A blue rectangle materialized at the end of the wand Sakura held in her hands. In response to Sakura's magic, the sword slowly vanished just as it was about to plunge into Kenshin's chest. It reappeared as an image on the card by the end of the wand. Sakura grabbed the card and looked at it. "SWORD" was written at the bottom. Sakura smiled, satisfied that she had captured another Clow Card. She flipped the card to the back and, pulling out a pen she always had handy, wrote her name on the back of the card, officially bringing the card into her power.

Puzzled because neither Kenshin nor Kero shouted for joy at the capture of the card, Sakura glanced up. Much to her surprise, Sano was standing up, leaning on the zanbatō.

Kenshin slowly stood. "Any more fighting would be meaningless, that it would. Please, accept your defeat."

Clenching his fist, Sano bared his teeth and hissed, "I can't lose… not to the men who made my mentor Captain Sagara and the Sekihō army bear the symbol for evil like the one on my back. My friends and Captain Sagara died because the Ishin Shishi couldn't back up its own promises and chose to blame the innocent Sekihō army instead! I'll never lose to the hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest of those filthy, lying, backstabbing Ishin Shishi!"

Sakura watched the situation unfold before her, completely lost. Why was this man still so angry, even after the fighting spirit of the Clow Card left him?

Kenshin closed his eyes and lowered his head, thinking. "Sagara Sanosuke, survivor of the Sekihō army that was framed by the government although they were innocent…" He turned the sakabatō over so the sharp, deadly side was bared. "…Understood. We mustfinish this." Everyone gasped.

"You flipped the sakabatō over? But why, Kenshin!" Yahiko cried. "What about your vow not to kill?!"

Sano hefted the zanbatō above his head and began to swing in circles. "Let's finish this, magical, flying Battōsai!" He screamed.

Everyone paused, blinking. Sakura muttered a "Hoe…" embarrassed, knowing she was to blame. Kenshin shook his head and then grew serious, waiting for an opportunity.

Sano swung the zanbatō down in powerful and fast arc. Kenshin rose up to meet it with his deadly sakabatō in hand. "Hyaaaa!"

With the largest cracking sound that Sakura had ever heard in her life, the sakabatō cut the zanbatō into two. Taking advantage of everyone's shock, Kenshin jumped high in the air. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. Ryūtsuisen!" Kenshin let gravity overtake him and he slammed the sakabatō's dull side into Sano's head.

Sano stumbled backwards in a daze, completely taken aback. Kenshin landed lightly on his feet. "Truly amazing. You are the first to take a Ryūtsuisen and not fall. However, you are barely standing. Wait here while a doctor is called."

Sakura released a breath that she didn't know she was holding. She trusted Kenshin implicitly and knew he would never break his vow to never kill again, but he still gave her quite a scare fighting so dangerously! She ran to Kenshin's side and smiled up at him, glad he was safe. "Are you okay?"

Kenshin opened his mouth to respond, but closed it when Sano cried, "It's not over yet! I haven't fallen yet. I haven't lost!"

Sighing, Kenshin walked up to Sano. Without hesitation or mercy, Kenshin punched Sano in the face. "Did the Sekihō army teach you to kill Ishin Shishi? Or did it tell you to complete the revolution?!"

Disgusted, Sano spat some of his blood on the ground. "Don't you preach to me! You spoke of equality, but drowned it in your own greed! Don't speak of the revolution then create a world of lies and sleep easy in it!"

Furious herself, Kaoru snapped, "You're wrong! You see him only as hitokiri Battōsai but Kenshin isn't that anymore! He doesn't have a cushy position in the government. He travels as a rurouni using his sakabatō to defend the helpless." Yahiko nodded. He gripped his shinai in his hands, ready to back up Kaoru's words.

Sano stared at Kenshin in shock as Kenshin continued, "The revolution has not ended, that is hasn't. It's true that the fighting stopped ten years ago and a new order was installed. But those of us who desire a better world still find ourselves trapped in a land where the weak are exploited. So this one, though unworthy, wields this sakabatō and his vow never to kill again to offer some aid to the weak. This is this one's payment to those that this one has killed as hitokiri Battōsai-"

"Ken-nii!" Sakura snapped. Everyone jumped at her shout, surprised.

Seeing Sakura upset, Kenshin smiled his best rurouni smile. " _Maa_ , Sakura-ch-"

"Why did you fight this man?" Sakura pouted, hands on her hips.

Kenshin raised a hand to the back of his head. "It's complicated… and he wouldn't listen to this one…"

"That's no excuse for punching a man you yourself said was barely standing!" Sakura cried, jabbing her finger into Sano's chest. As if to prove Sakura's point, Sano crumpled to the ground, dropping the zanbatō handle.

Kenshin blinked before laughing sheepishly, "Ahaha… it's been a long day and it just was the quickest way to wake him up…"

"Since when do you take the easy way out?!"

"Er…"

"We're Rurouni Cardcaptor, are we not? We work as a team, helping people. Not punching them in the face!"

"Well, uh, yes, maybe…"

"There is no 'maybe'! We are a team! We do not punch people! Repeat after me!"

Kaoru and Yahiko watched the exchange, stunned that _the_ hitokiri Battōsai was being scolded by a little, pink girl.

"Ooh, you're never going to hear the end of this, red head!" Kero laughed. Kenshin sighed and nodding, knowing Kero was right.

* * *

Under the light of the shinning sun, Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko and Sakura walked the streets of Tokyo, on their way to Akabeko to celebrate yesterday's victory against Sano. Well, that is to say, Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko walked. Sakura skipped behind them, too joyful to walk the normal and boring way most people traveled. She was certain that the Clow Card she had sensed a few days back had really been the Sword Clow Card, and with that captured, she was one step closer to reclaiming all of the lost cards and returning home.

But right now… Sakura glanced up at her friends. Kaoru and Yahiko were arguing as usual and Kenshin was wearing his rurouni smile, trying to pacify them with his " _Maa_ , _maa_ …" Sakura smiled. Even if she was stuck in this time, the joy she felt in hearing her friends have fun was like no other. It was irreplaceable.

 _No, they're not my friends._ Sakura corrected herself. _They're my family. My older brother. The older sister I never had. My friend who is strangely very supportive of me. I want to be with them, to be there when they smile and laugh, and when they cry, so I can make them happy again. How can I return home and never see them again?_ Sakura stopped skipping, surprised to find herself thinking something she never would have expected.

 _I don't want to go home just yet._

"What do you think of that?" Sakura whispered to Kero, who was, also as usual, hiding in her hat.

"Of what?" Kero asked.

"Of staying here in this time period a little longer."

Kero waited a moment before he responded. "Whatever makes you happy, Sakura," he said, his voice carrying a bit of sadness.

Hearing Kero's answer, Sakura was reminded of her outburst when she was lost in the alleyways. How she believed she was all alone when she always had Kero by her side. She lowered her head, ashamed. "I'm so sorry, Kero-chan. Forgive me… I didn't mean…"

Kero sighed, "It's all right, kiddo." He rubbed Sakura's head, fondly. "I certainly didn't want to be transported to this time period, either. I've felt lonely, too. We just got to stick together like icing and cake. I'm just glad there are some candles too."

"Candles?" Sakura asked, unable to hide her grin. _Kero-chan never stops thinking of candy does he?_

" _Aa_ , that red head over there. He's with us too. And some sprinkles and ice cream," Kero added, obviously referring to Kaoru and Yahiko.

Sakura giggled. "Who's the sprinkles and who's the ice cream?"

"Now that is a very good question…" Kero muttered. Even though she couldn't see him, Sakura could easily picture him in her mind. He had crossed his arms, apparently trying give the impression of being lost in deep thought, but the comical grin on his face proved otherwise. Sakura laughed at Kero's antics.

 _BAM!_

Sakura froze in shock as a man flew out of the Akabeko restaurant and hit the ground with amazing force. She couldn't see the man who stepped out of the restaurant, because Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko blocked her view, but she knew who he was as soon as he spoke.

"I don't mind you getting drunk and starting another fight but could you at least train a bit before the next one?"

"Zanza!" Yahiko cried.

The man who hit the ground was joined by two of his other friends. Sakura could see now that they were the same people who had thrown a bottle at Kenshin's head. And just as before, they fled at the sight of Sano.

"Weren't you hospitalized?" Kaoru asked.

Sano shrugged. "All these bandages just prove how strong I am." He smiled slightly. "I owe you guys one for yesterday." Sighing, he looked up into the sky, gazing at the clouds above. "The Sekihō army is a past I won't forget. I can't take this symbol off my back. But I did like what you said yesterday, and yet words are cheap. And so…"

Sano turned to Kenshin and grinned, "To see if you really are different from the government with their empty ideals, I'm going to stick around you and see who you really are." Kenshin's eyes widened in surprise. Sano continued, "One more thing. I'm not 'Zanza' anymore. Now I'm just Sagara Sanosuke, fighting enthusiast. Just like you're not hitokiri Battōsai anymore. So don't start wandering again without my permission… Kenshin!"

Kenshin paused. Then like a rainbow after the storm, Kenshin smiled a genuine smile of peace and happiness. Sakura's heart warmed at the sight. _I haven't seen Ken-nii smile like that in such a long time. I'm so glad he's so happy!_

"And you!" Sano spat, jabbing a finger in Sakura's direction. " _You_!" Sakura shrank back, knowing just how hot his fiery anger burned. "I swear you did something strange yesterday while we were fighting. I saw it in a dream! There was a wand, a woman ghost spirit thing, a card, flying people, and you were pink! Your little pink girlieness ruined our manly fight!"

"Uh…" Sakura stammered. Kenshin looked as though he didn't know if he should burst out laughing or be horrified that Sano remembered Sakura's magic. Yahiko and Kaoru, who were told of Sakura's abilities the night before, nervously stared at Sano, afraid he might push the subject.

"I know you're the reason why my precious zanbatō broke. I swear if it takes the rest of my days I will discover your secret! And then you'll get me a new zanbatō!"

Sakura paused, having absolutely no idea how to proceed. Then a thought struck her. If it works for Kenshin, it should work for her as well, right? And if Tomoyo was right, she was so cute adults would bend over backwards for her so it had to be fool proof.

"Who me?" Sakura smiled her sweetest smile, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning forward. "I'm just a little girl who loves peace. I could never cause any trouble."

Kenshin snorted. _Oh, so he won't laugh at Sanosuke-san, but he'll laugh at me?!_ Sakura thought, pouting. Indignant, she stamped on Kenshin's foot, crunching it. To Sakura's further annoyance, Kenshin didn't react at all.

Sano laughed, "Sure you are. Even your nii-chan knows better." Sakura sucked a breath in, angry. "Anyway, I got my eye on both of you, ya hear? You haven't seen the last of me!" Sano turned and with a hand raising in farewell, left. Everyone watched him go.

Sakura withdrew her foot from Kenshin's foot, reflecting about the strength and courage Sano had showed during the fight. _He's actually kind of cool…_

Kenshin exhaled, "Hooo… another weird one…"

"What do you mean another?" Yahiko cried, pulling on Kenshin's cheek.

"Yeah, you're the weirdest one of all," Kaoru agreed, yanking on Kenshin's other cheek.

"Oro?"

Sakura laughed, "Definitely. And you guys don't even know about the time Ken-nii was sick and threw up all over our waitress. Then he practically died of embarrassment! If Kenshin's face wasn't so gross, the waitress looked like she would have slapped him! It was kind of scary at the time but looking back it's really hilar-mmmph!"

Kenshin swatted Kaoru and Yahiko's hands off his face and clamped his hand over Sakura's mouth. "Don't mind her," he smiled at Kaoru and Yahiko, trying to portray an image of calmness, but his twitching eyebrow showed otherwise. "She has an active imagination, that she do-ouch!"

Kero popped out of Sakura's hat and bit Kenshin's finger. Then he disappeared underneath the hat with a wicked grin of happiness. Kenshin jerked his hand back and hissed, " _Hotaru_!"

" _Baka_!" The hat cried back.

"Child!"

"Womanizer!"

"Wha-Wha-What?!" Kenshin sputtered, his face turning as red as his hair. "This one is NOT!" Sakura's hat shook as Kero laughed.

Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sakura laughed so hard tears leaked out of the corner of their eyes. Sure, people in the street stopped to stare at the bizarre group that was making a ruckus, but Sakura didn't care.

Because for the first time in a long, long time, Sakura felt like she was home.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in the order they appear within chapter):

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards to fight the rampaging Clow Cards as well as her magic wand.

Busu-ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Himura Kenshin-Kenshin is rurouni, a wanderer, and the former hitokiri Battōsai. He has unusual red hair and violet eyes. On the shorter side, at a glance Kenshin is often mistaken to be a woman. In addition, though he is 28, he looks about ten years younger. He learned his sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, from his master. When he was fourteen, he ran away from his Master to fight in the civil war, during the Bakumatsu, hoping to defend the weak. Kenshin joined the Ishin Shishi, who were determined to topple the corrupt Japanese government and bring equality to Japan citizens. Because of Kenshin's great skills as a swordsman and Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he became hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin fought for five years. Afterwards he disappeared and traveled Japan, becoming a rurouni. As a rurouni, Kenshin protected people with his sakabatō, but because of his bloody past, he never stayed in one place for long. Two months before he entered Tokyo, Kenshin met Sakura and the two began to travel together. Kenshin is a fictional character, but the history of the Bakumatsu and the Ishin Shishi are real.

Engawa-wooden wraparound porch in old Japanese houses and dojos

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Sakabatō-Kenshin's reverse blade sword. The dull side of the blade is where the sharp edge should be and vice versa. In this way, Kenshin can fight with a sword but not kill, only breaking bones instead. It is a symbol of Kenshin's vow never to kill again. Kenshin has carried the sakabatō for ten years as he traveled as a rurouni.

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. (I could go in more detail as a gi isn't really a shirt in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of onii or and the "san" honorific instead of the "chan" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

Onee-san-Older sister; the "o" attached to "nee" signals formality as well as the "san" honorific. Sakura refers to Kaoru in a more formal way because she doesn't know Kaoru as well.

Sakura's wand-Sakura uses a pink wand to direct her magic when capturing a Clow Card. When she is not using the wand, it transforms into a pendant that is shaped like a key. She must use a chant to release the wand from its key pendant form. When Sakura was transforming the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, the wand also changed. It became a Star Wand. In the Meiji Era however, the wand is in its original state and not a Star Wand.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings and can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is Kero's master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Hoe-Hoe is a made up word that is Sakura's trademark. She uses it when confused, embarrassed, or surprised. As far as I know it has no meaning other than conveying Sakura's feelings.

Kimono-a long, loose robe with large sleeves that is tied by the waist with a sash, called an _obi_. Men and women can wear it. In this time, men can wear gis and hakamas instead if they were samurai, but women typically only wore kimonos.

Akabeko-Akabeko is a beef pot restaurant owned by Tae's father. In Meiji, beef pot was seen as a representative of European food, and, thanks to its cheap price, was available and popular among the general public.

"that it is", "that I am", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

Hitokiri Battōsai- hitokiri means assassin or literally manslayer. Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu technique, Kenshin's trademark attack. According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." During the Bakumatsu, Kenshin became an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. He was feared by all for his astounding swordsmanship abilities that allowed him to kill so many people. Many legends compare him to a demon. Kenshin fought for the Ishin Shishi for five years (ages 14 to 19).

Revolutionary warriors-another name for Ishin Shishi; In the manga Sano repeatedly talks of the revolutionary warriors, revolution, and patriots, but to make things clearer and more consistent I have taken the liberty to replace these terms with Ishin Shishi, which is who Sano is referring to.

Ishin Shishi-the side Kenshin fought with during the Bakumatsu. They were determined to overthrow the corrupt shogun, the Japanese government in order to make Japan a place of equality.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Sakura's wand-Sakura uses a pink wand to direct her magic when capturing a Clow Card. When she is not using the wand, it transforms into a pendant that is shaped like a key. She must use a chant to release the wand from its key pendant form. When Sakura was transforming the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, the wand also changed. It became a Star Wand. In the Meiji Era however, the wand is in its original state and not a Star Wand.

Zanbatō-Sano's weapon. According to the manga the zanbatō is, "a giant weapon… designed to take down horse and rider in one swing. It is the heaviest katana ever made. Because of its weight, it is said that no one has ever been able to weld it to its full capacity."

Rurouni-Rurouni is a made up term created from the words " _ru_ " which means to wander and " _ronin_ " or masterless samurai. (Note: Kenshin did have a Master, but he ran away to fight with the Ishin Shishi, cutting off all ties with him) After fighting for the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin traveled Japan for ten years as a rurouni. Carrying his sakabatō, Kenshin protected people, but he never stayed in any place for long. By helping as many people as possible as a wandering rurouni, Kenshin hoped to repent for the murders he committed as a hitokiri Battōsai. As a rurouni, Kenshin often masks his true feelings behind a smile and acting as though he is less skilled with a sword than he really is.

Suntetsu-A concealed weapon from the Meiji Era. It is meant to be palmed and has a sharp point at one end. The drunken man the fighter for hire was facing used a suntetsu on the fighter for hire, but the fighter for hire was unaffected.

Cardcaptor-Sakura is the Cardcaptor, meaning that it is her responsibility to recapture the freed Clow Cards and become their master.

Sword-One of the Clow Cards. It's normal form is a giant sword but it has also appeared as a sword pendant. Sword possesses its user, rendering them mute and unable to control or remember their actions. Glassy or empty eyes are a sign that a person has been possessed. Sword is said to be able to cut through anything. In battle, Sakura uses the Sword Card to cut things, including barriers.

Code Bird-A term I made that refers to a plan that Sakura and Kenshin created. Sakura using the Windy Clow Card to give temporary "flight" to Kenshin and he uses this "flight" to add to the force of the sakabatō's swing. Code Bird hints to the fact that Kenshin and Sakura created plans for using the Clow Cards in battle.

Matte-wait

Captain Sagara Sōzō-The idealist captain of the Sekihō army that Sano greatly respected. He was falsely accused by the Ishin Shishi of tricking the people of Japan into believing their taxes would be cut by half. He was beheaded and his head was displayed in Kyoto as a warning to traitors. Sano took the name of "Sagara" in the captain's honor. Captain Sagara is based on a real person. Following the death of the Captain, Sano began to hate the Ishin Shishi and the government they established after the Bakumatsu.

Sekihō Army- A military unit mostly comprised of farmers and merchants that was led by Captain Sagara that fought for the Ishin Shishi. The Ishin Shishi promised the people of Japan that they would cut taxes in half in an attempt to get more farmers from all over Japan to join the Ishin Shishi. However, the Ishin Shishi began to experience money problems and decided to blame the Sekihō army. By labeling them as the people who perpetrated a lie and then getting rid of them, the Ishin Shishi wouldn't have to back up its promise. They made the people of the army bear the symbol of evil on their back. It is controversial whether this event really occurred or not. Sano joined the army when he was nine.

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū-This is Kenshin's sword style. It is a defensive style, focusing on fighting multiple opponents at once and legendary speed. It's symbol/mascot is a dragon. Because Kenshin used Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū during the Bakumatsu, he became the hitokiri Battōsai and feared to be a demon.

Ryūtsuisen-Dragon hammer strike. It is a move of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū that requires the user to jump high in the air. With gravity adding to the force, the user falls and strikes an opponent in the head or shoulder.

Revolution-another name for the Meiji Restoration, or the end of the Bakumatsu and the start of a new Meiji government

Maa, maa-Now, now; used to calm people down (In Kenshin's case usually unsuccessfully :) )

Aa-an informal yes

Tomoyo-Sakura's best friend in the present. She helps Sakura capture the Clow Cards, although she has no magic of her own. When the two of them chase down Clow Cards, Tomoyo records Sakura. She also creates a bunch of costumes for Sakura and Kero and encourages Sakura to pose after capturing cards, much to Sakura's embarrassment. Kero, however, loves being in the spotlight.

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Hotaru-firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Baka-idiot, dummy, stupid

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When writing this chapter, I originally was going to include Gohei's return, but as the chapter was getting longer I decided to cut it. His appearance would have taken away the spotlight from the true focus of this chapter: the fight between Sano and Kenshin. Also, I didn't explain in detail about the Sekihō Army within the chapter for the same reason. It's not important within this story. However, it is explained in the dictionary.

Important note! I'm going to be very busy from this Monday to Friday so I'll post the next chapter next Saturday or Sunday. I probably won't be able to reply to PMs either. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

There are several things that I want to explain about the story. The Clow Card Sakura discovers while running through the city is Sano's Sword Card, which I stated in the chapter. However, I was concerned that the Akasaka ward would be far away from Gorotsuki Nagaya, the place where Sano said he would be waiting for Kenshin when they first met, so I did some research. Gorotsuki means ruffian or hooligan while Nagaya is row houses or dorms. Presumably then, it is a rough part of Tokyo. Meanwhile, Akasaka, in this time period was supposed to be a rich residential area. Assuming these two areas are far apart, it wouldn't make sense that Sakura would sense Sano's Clow Card in Akasaka ward. …Maybe Sano had bought a fight with someone in the Akasaka ward right after meeting with Kenshin and the others? Yeah, let's go with that. A comment about Sakura's "Cardcaptor outfit" and the Clow Cards. One thing I forgot to mention before was that I added the fact that Sakura's clothes transforms into what I dub the "Cardcaptor outfit" when she uses magic. This does not occur in the real CCS, and while I wanted to keep to the canon as closely as possible, it doesn't make sense that one of Sakura's outfits that Tomoyo made for her would have teleported back into time with her when she was wearing something else (namely her school outfit). I didn't want Sakura to fight the Clow Cards in her school uniform so I created the idea that her clothes transform. Speaking of things that I have changed, in the original Japanese manga/anime of CCS all of the Clow Cards' names are in English. While Sakura probably takes English classes and would understand the English names, Kenshin and everyone else in the Meiji Era wouldn't. So to keep from making a point of Sakura say within the story the names of Clow Cards in Japanese, Kenshin and co. from Meiji understand Sakura when she says the Clow Cards in English. I hope you understand.

Hello, Omasuoniwabanshi! Thank you for your review. I'm glad that you are able to follow the story despite not being familiar with the CCS universe. As for the Japanese within the story, I feel there are times when Japanese words express the meaning better, so I included it. I don't use Japanese at every opportunity available, because then there are other instances in which English is better. I have always envisioned the story starting with the beginning of the RK story, so explaining about how Kenshin and Sakura met had to be later. I want Sano to know how they met, so the explanation is placed after Sano is introduced. I'm so glad that you think that I have characterized the RK characters well! Being cheerful is definitely Sakura's natural disposition. In fact, when the CCS anime was being dubbed in English, the people in charge of the dubbing decided to make Sakura a little meaner, to make her be more like a realistic child. Even though Sakura has only known Kenshin for two months or so, Sakura clings to Kenshin because she's stuck all alone in an unfamiliar time, unsure if she'll ever return home. This has brought them closer together. At least, that's why I tried to convey. I'm glad you think it rang true.

Hello, James Birdsong! Thank you for your review. I'm glad you are enjoying the story! (As of the time of this posting, your review isn't up yet on ff. net, but I was alerted by email of your review which contains your review. It should appear in the next couple of days.)

Next chapter: What are Kaoru's and the other's reactions to learning about Sakura's magical abilities? How Kenshin and Sakura met is revealed!

As always, thank you for reading my story.


	5. The Past Revealed!

Sakura tells the story of how she and Kenshin first met. As a warning though, don't expect a flashback, only Sakura's explanation. I didn't want the story to become too depressing and, if I were to tell everything through a flashback, it would probably be an entire chapter of its own. Regardless, I hope you find their meeting to be a good one. If not, feel free to tell me how you think I could have improved it.

Disclaimer: I never owned Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura series and (probably) never will. You just never know what may happen in the future… :)

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CHAPTER FOUR

The Past Revealed!

"So let me get this straight," Sano said, his brows furled in confusion. Kaoru watched Sano as he turned his gaze to her and stated, "You're the current assistant master of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū, whose father, the founder of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū, died recently in the Seinan War."

Kaoru nodded. "Right."

"And you, Yahiko-chan-"

"Don't call me chan!"

"…is the child of a samurai family, but since your parents died you've been training with the Missie over there, staying here despite the rumors of the hitokiri Battōsai that scared off all the other students." Yahiko crossed his arms and huffed, refusing to look at Sano or acknowledge that he was right. Indifferent to Yahiko's childish display, Sano turned to Kenshin and continued, "You used to be the hitokiri Battōsai, but then decided to wander around Japan for ten years as a rurouni. And ever since three months ago you've been a babysitter for that girl over there."

"Oro?"

"And you!" Sano cried, pointing at Sakura, "You're some magical girl." He stated, but his raised tone of voice at the end of the sentence implied it was really a question.

Sakura fingered the key shaped pendant around her neck. " _Hai_. A long time ago the great magician, Clow Reed, created the Clow Cards. These Clow Cards have magical powers and often are like different elements of the world, like Fiery and Shadow. Kero-chan," Sakura gestured to Kero who sat on the floor in front of her, "is the guardian of the Clow Cards."

"The wise, skillful, and amazing guardian of the Clow Cards, created by da greatest and most powerful magician of all of time… Cerberus!" boasted Kero. "Or Kero for short if ya want." He pounded his chest. "And as soon as Sakura captures the Fiery and Earthy Cards I'll unleash my true form and you'll be able to behold me my all awe inspiring might!"

Kaoru glanced at Kenshin. His eyes briefly flickered to the ceiling, an obvious sign of suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. Smiling, Kaoru guessed Kenshin had heard Kero bragging about his supposed "true form" before. Yet another reason why Kaoru found Kero to be an annoying midget blob.

Ignoring Kero, Sakura continued to explain, "I come from the future where I accidently undid the seal upon the cards, releasing them into the world. I managed to capture all the cards, but… shortly afterwards I was transported to this time. I don't know if the Clow Cards that I'm capturing now are the Clow Cards from my future or are the Clow Cards of the Meiji. Either way, I capture them, hoping that it will teleport me back to the future."

"And back to candy!" Kero shouted. Kaoru, Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano stared at him as he grabbed his feet with his hands and began to roll on his back to the left and right. "And TV! And video games!" They blinked, then decided it wasn't worth their time to understand what he meant.

"So… not only do you have some 'magic' you also come from the future?" Sano leaned towards Sakura and narrowed his eyes, skeptical. "Tell me then… have people walked on the moon?"

"Uhhh…" Sakura leaned back. "Yes?"

Sano continued to narrow his eyes until they're were slits. After a long and tense moment, he slowly leaned back into a normal sitting position, never removing his eyes from her.

Kaoru watched Sano's odd behavior with a small smile. To say the dojo was lively now was a great understatement. Generally she enjoyed the change immensely; she was no longer trapped in an empty dojo and had several interesting, new people to understand and befriend, but there were times she couldn't stand the company.

Take the past month for example. Every night the gangster Sano returned to the dojo asking for food like a lost puppy. Over supper he would endless berate Sakura about flying people and wanting a new zanbatō to the point where even Sakura grew annoyed. Just knowing that Kaoru would have to put up with him every time evening came soured her mood. It was a shame, since behind the revenge and hate that fueled Sano as a fighting merchant he seemed to be a good person, as Kenshin had recognized from the beginning.

Eventually after yet another argument broke out among the residents of the dojo during dinner, Kenshin and Sakura deemed Sano trustworthy and everyone introduced themselves formally and fully, including Sakura and Kero.

 _Kero…_ Kaoru thought, angrily. She would never forgive him for scaring the living daylights out of her and making her faint in front of Kenshin. _Annoying_ Hotaru. _I got to start calling him that, too. And "monster" for good measure._

Kaoru glanced at Yahiko who had grown quiet for quite some time. She saw him stare at Sakura intently. "I know it's been a month since you told us, but… I still find this all hard to believe. I mean… magic? Sounds more like superstition or some sort of trickery to me, and yet we all saw that flying woman thing when Kenshin fought Sano…"

Sakura sighed then smiled slightly. "I know it must be hard to believe. Even I had trouble understanding it when I unsealed the cards."

"Understanding?" cried Kero. "You said you didn't even want to be the Cardcaptor at first!" Sakura blushed at the memory.

Hard to believe, indeed. After Kenshin's fight with Sano, Kaoru demanded Sakura explain the weird trick she did to Kenshin. She was honestly surprised how enraged she was for Kenshin's behalf. For some reason, the thought of watching Kenshin die crushed her. It's true that he saved her life and rescued her dojo, but… Kaoru just couldn't bear the thought that his gentle smile and touch would be lost from the world. Even if he used to be hitokiri Battōsai, it would be a crime too great. This turbulent era of yakuza and the government who failed to uphold its promises of equality for all needed him.

 _Do_ I _need him?_ thought Kaoru. _Stop that!_ She scolded herself. _Maybe I do have an active imagination as Kenshin says_ … Kaoru smirked at the thought of Kenshin's horrible lie intending to hide Sakura's magical abilities. _He's such a bad liar. And what in the world led him to choose such a childish defense?_

A puzzling thought struck her. Pushing her food aside, Kaoru inquired, "If you don't mind me asking, Sakura-chan, Kenshin, how did the two of you meet?"

Kaoru could instantly see that it was the wrong question to ask when she witnessed the knowing glance Kenshin and Sakura shared. Kenshin opened his mouth to answer, however Sakura cut him off. "It's okay, Ken-nii, Kero-chan. Everyone else told us about their pasts, it's only right to do the same."

"But if you don't want to Sakura, you shouldn't!" sputtered Yahiko.

"I'm fine, Yahiko-kun. Don't worry about me. Thank you for caring about me." Sakura smiled sweetly at Yahiko and he melted into a puddle.

Kaoru had to refrain from gagging. _Boys._

Sakura turned to look at Kaoru, her usual smile faltering as she began, "It's a long story actually, but I'll try to make it short. Two months ago, well three months now, Kero-chan and I teleported into this time period. I… was really scared. But it wasn't that long afterwards that I sensed a Clow Card and found Windy. Windy is one of the gentlest of all the cards so I captured Windy without a card using Kero's help. Later I captured Jump thanks to Windy.

"It was a near a small farming village east of here… where I encountered the Fly Clow Card. Fly is a big bird. It must have frightened the villagers because they thought Fly was dangerous and attacked it. Angry and upset, Fly began to create trouble for the village. It… even hurt a couple of people. When Kero-chan and I learned what had happened, I ran out of the village to where a group of about a dozen or so men were attacking Fly, trying to… kill it. With Kero-chan's help, I was able to calm Fly down and seal it. But afterwards…" Sakura hung her head, her eyes downcast and her voice quiet. Though Sakura was clearly reluctant to continue, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sano leaned in, fascinated by her tale of the Fly card and they hung on her every word.

"I don't know what exactly happened after that," resumed Sakura after a pause. "But the men began to shout at me, grabbing my arm and shaking me... They called me a witch and talked of…" Sakura blinked several times, her voice momentarily lost. Kenshin moved to Sakura's side and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder. Sakura glanced up at him and smiled. After inhaling a shaky breath, Sakura continued, "They tied me up and locked me in a cabin. I could have used my cards to free myself, but I remembered how they attacked Fly, so I didn't use any. I was afraid they would try to hurt them, too. So I… Kero-chan I just kinda sat in the dark cabin waiting…"

Kaoru glanced at Kenshin and Kero, curious to see their reactions to Sakura's story. Kenshin looked guilty and sullen, while Kero appeared as though he was trying to restrain his anger. Her own heart twisted as she heard Sakura's past. _How awful that you had to go through that, Sakura-chan…_

However, Sakura lifted her head and began to smile. "It was then that I met Kenshin nii-chan. He didn't believe the villager's words that I was an evil girl and he saved me. We've been traveling together ever since. Now we're Rurouni Cardcaptor!"

Everyone sat in the dojo in silence, unable to think of single thing to say in the face of learning Sakura had endured such horrific experiences. _This whole magical business is beginning to seem a less magical and more and more dangerous…_ Kaoru thought, the image of Kenshin almost being crushed into a rock coming to mind. Then she had to stifle a giggle as a part of her brain cried, Baka _! Magic doesn't exist!_ And yet she had clearly seen it with her eyes… Sakura's claim that she had traveled through time was evident from her strange clothes and mannerisms.

 _However, none of that explains how Sakura-chan knows Kenshin was the hitokiri Battōsai_ , thought remembered her first meeting with Sakura. Sakura was completely unfazed by the broken bodies of the men who attacked her dojo. _Probably some men who wanted revenge against hitokiri Battōsai fought Kenshin and Sakura-chan was a witness. Who hitokiri Battōsai was… that must have been difficult for Kenshin to explain to Sakura-chan…_

Sano left shortly after Sakura's story but not before he bestowed a special goodbye to her. Grinning, Sano ruffled Sakura's hair and said, "Don't ya worry 'bout me. You're little secret is safe with me. You saved my life, after all." Sakura beamed up at him, however it quickly turned into a pout when Sano added, "You should capture a card thing that'll make me a new zanbatō."

Kero crossed his arms and huffed, "I may be amazing, but technically no Clow Card creates nothing. They only manipulate what's already there." Sano gave him a blank stare. Seeing his expression, Kero inquired, "Haven't ya even heard of science before?" Sano continued to stare at him. "Haven't any of yall?" Kero asked in an incredulous tone of voice, turning to gaze at everyone gathered there. He was met with blank faces all around. "Argh! We're surrounded by stupid, ignorant people!" Kero whined, flying in circles.

Sakura admonished, "Kero-chan, that's not nice."

"But they don't even know what air is made of or what TV is or video games or the awesomely fantastic Cardcaptor Sakura anime and I'm so bored already!"

After Sakura had calmed Kero down and Sano left, one by one the residents of the dojo slipped off to bed. It seemed Kaoru had only just closed her eyes to fall asleep when the rising sun burned her eyelids open. With a groan Kaoru rolled onto her side and opened her eyes.

Sakura was sitting on her futon already fully dressed in what she called her school uniform and was singing a song quietly to herself. From what Kaoru could make out the lyrics were happy, but Sakura sang with a small frown on her face, her eyes distant with memory. Kaoru glanced over at Kero, who was curled up in a ball besides Sakura's pillow. Kaoru hadn't minded Sakura sleeping in her room, but that little flying rodent she didn't trust. He seemed to only care about himself first, Sakura second, and Kenshin a distant third. A faint blush crept on her cheeks as she recalled the many times he had teased Kenshin by saying he liked Kaoru. Especially the time after she fainted and Kenshin and Kero thought she was asleep. _Stupid monster. Who cares if he and I… Mind your own business._

Sakura gave a start when she noticed Kaoru was awake. "Kaoru onee-san! _Ohayō_. Did you sleep well?"

Kaoru returned the greeting and sat up slowly, bones creaking. "Good morning, Sakura-chan. I slept well apart from the fact I feel I haven't slept enough. You?"

Sakura broke off eye contact with her, choosing to fiddle with her key shaped pendant that hung around her neck from a chain. Sensing something was still bothering the girl, Kaoru moved to sit next to Sakura and enveloped her in a hug. Sakura gasped in surprise. "Is something wrong, Sakura-chan?" Kaoru asked. "You can tell me."

Sighing, Sakura leaned into the embrace. "Things are so different now," she whispered. "Ken-nii, Kero-chan, and I have never stayed in one place for so long. Every time I wake up and don't see Ken-nii nearby I begin to panic until I remember where I am."

"You and Kenshin seem awfully close," remarked Kaoru, curious and touched at the same time.

Sakura nodded. "I think nii-chan was very lonely before he met me. Just like Kero-chan and I were. He used to be hitokiri Battōsai and I think it bothers him still."

"What do you mean?"

"He has nightmares sometimes," Sakura explained. "He moves about and cries out stuff in his sleep. When I hear him, I go sleep beside him and he stops having bad dreams. And when I have nightmares or dreams of home, he does the same for me. I know I'm a little old for that but… it helps me… it reminds me that I'm not alone…"

Moved with sympathy, Kaoru muttered, "Oh, Sakura-chan…" She could still picture the night when Kenshin returned to the dojo carrying a puffy and red rimed eyed Sakura on his back the day they met Sano. Though she wondered what had occurred, Kaoru didn't question Kenshin, only scooped Sakura up in her arms. The relief and gratitude Kaoru saw in Kenshin's eyes was almost palpable when Kaoru ordered him to bed early. He was so exhausted he looked as though he would drop dead asleep right then and there. Clearly something bad had happened to the pair on their little excursion, not to mention Sakura's tale of their first meeting and her nightmares… _Sakura-chan has been through so much._ Kaoru rubbed Sakura's back, thinking, _She's such a tough little girl, stronger than most children her age and even some adults I know._

 _And Kenshin… he's strong, too._ After all, he must be hiding all the pain and regret he feels from his past behind his smile and apparently carefree attitude. Hopefully Sakura's goodness and zest for life had been healing his heart, but a little girl could only do so much. Seeing and hearing how much Kenshin and Sakura sacrificed for each other, Kaoru felt inspired. _I have to do my part, too. They're my guests, after all. And they saved my life and the dojo. They're my… my friends. …I can admit that much about Kenshin and I at least, can't I? And as for Kero, well, we'll see I guess…_

"Sakura-chan, listen to me." Kaoru released the hug and turned Sakura to her, making sure to wear a big reassuring smile. "If you ever get any nightmares, then you come and sleep in my futon with me. Don't worry about you being too old or anything silly like that, okay?" Kaoru gently tweaked Sakura's nose.

Sakura grinned and nodded. "Thank you, Kaoru onee-san! Thank you so much. You know…" she started, her eyes looking off into the distance, "I have an older brother, Tōya, and my father back at home, but my mother died when I was young. I know after she died she still watched over me when I was in the present, but I don't know about here in the past. But even if she isn't, I got you! You're a lot like what I think my mom was like. Or an older sister, I guess, since you're… you know." Sakura laughed. "Young. And you're pretty too."

Kaoru froze, utterly caught off guard. "Uh…" How could she respond to that? How could Sakura think of her as family if Kenshin and Sakura might leave soon? What would Sakura do then? What would Kaoru do? And Kaoru had never thought of herself as pretty before; she was simply too tomboyish. _But if_ _Sakura-chan though that then maybe a certain ru-No. I will not allow myself to think such a silly thing and get my hopes up for nothing. Kenshin and Sakura-chan could leave anytime. Plus, no one would think a bossy and sweaty dojo instructor like me was beautiful. Ever. It's just a fact_ ,thought Kaoru with a growing despondency.

Kero flopped over onto his back and snorted. He scratched the side of his stomach, beginning to snore obnoxiously. At the same time Kaoru and Sakura giggled. Grabbing Sakura's hands, Kaoru stood, pulling Sakura up with her. "Come on, Sakura-chan. Let's go get breakfast from Kenshin." Kaoru avoided acknowledging Sakura's feelings, pushing the issue to the side for now. It didn't really matter what Sakura thought of her, only that she was happy and no longer suffering. As for Kenshin and Sakura leaving… that wasn't something that was for her to decide, no matter how much she truly enjoyed their company and the joy they brought to her life after her father died.

Breakfast that morning was pretty normal, which was to say there was plenty of teasing. Sakura inadvertently started it by telling Kero, "You snore so loudly, Kero-chan."

Kero swallowed a bite of his rice ball and retorted, "Red head drools in his sleep." Kenshin, who was in the middle of creating the last of the rice balls, exhaled, clearly annoyed. Yahiko snickered.

"Kero-chan! Why are you being so mean to Ken-nii lately? It's not nice."

"And," Kero added, lifting a hand in the air for emphasis, enjoying everyone's attention, "I have it on my good authority that when no one is looking he picks his n-"

Faster than anyone could see, Kenshin turned around and dropped an upturned bowl on Kero, trapping him underneath. Kenshin resumed making the rice balls as though nothing happened. Kaoru shook her head, marveling over the power the yellow midget had over 28-year-old man.

After a heartwarming training session with Yahiko in which Kaoru got to beat her contrary student senseless, everyone at the dojo relaxed outside. Yahiko and Sakura seemed to be playing with Sakura's pink rod thing that she called her wand. Perfectly content, Kenshin was taking down the now dry laundry from the line. Kaoru helped him. She felt guilty that Kenshin had taken over all of the chores because of her inability to do them correctly. Kero's shouts could randomly be heard throughout the grounds. Kenshin explained that Kero's antics were probably because of his excitement of not having to worry about being hidden. Apparently, even in the future he didn't have that luxury.

 _But still… I don't like the idea of that creature flying around, getting his filthy paw things all over everything._ Kaoru thought, upset.

As Kenshin took dry gi off the line, he smiled and stated, "You and Sakura-chan seem to be getting along really well, that you do."

Kaoru took a moment to answer him, surprised by the bluntness of his statement. "I don't know… Sakura-chan seems to…" she shrugged, struggling to put what she felt into words. "There's just something about her. She's so sweet and innocent, kind and caring, that it draws… people," Kaoru finished, lamely.

Kenshin nodded his understanding, smiling. "She likes you a lot, as well."

Realizing that Sakura must have told Kenshin of their conversation this morning, Kaoru began to blush. "Ah, well. Um, that's great. But I certainly wouldn't know as much about her as you do, with her saying you're her older brother and all. Is there a particular reason why she calls you that or is it just because she likes you?"

At that moment Kero zipped by, passing within inches of Kaoru's face. Kaoru shouted in alarm. Laughing, he disappeared into the dojo. "Augh!" cried Kaoru in frustration. Crossing her arms, she huffed, "Annoying pest. Is that where you got the idea for calling him _Hotaru_ , Kenshin? And why does he call you red head? Just be obstinate?"

Kenshin smiled slightly, but his eyes seemed sad. He folded a white sheet for a moment before replying, "The answer to all of your questions relates to the time this one met Sakura-chan and Kero. This one was traveling to his hometown, in order to pay his respects to his family at their graves."

 _His family is gone…_ Kaoru thought, sympathizing with Kenshin's loss. _Like mine and Yahiko's family, and Sakura's family and friends were left behind in the future…_

"When this one arrived, the village was in utter chaos, that it was. Some of the fields had been destroyed and a few of men of the village were injured, one even killed. With everyone in such an uproar, this one's presence wasn't very welcome, to say the least. This one immediately set out to find the source of the problem only to hear ridiculous stories of a young girl subjugating a giant bird that had been attacking the village. This one didn't believe them, but he was curious to meet the girl. This one wanted to hear her side of the story and learn what could possibly cause everyone to make up such tales. As this one approached the house that the girl was in, he heard a male voice telling someone to use some cards. A girl sobbed that she didn't want to use them because she was afraid of them getting hurt. It was Kero and Sakura-chan." Kenshin glanced at Kaoru and then lowered his head, hiding his eyes behind his bangs. "For as long as this one lives, he will never forget the state Sakura-chan was in, that he won't.

"Sakura-chan was bound hands and feet, her clothes filthy and torn. By the number of bruises and small cuts over her body, it was clear she had been treated roughly. And her eyes… her one eye that wasn't swollen shut was bloodshot and red with tears. She was clearly terrified of this one, not for herself… but for her beloved Clow Cards. Seeing her there, this one didn't care who she was, or what she supposedly did, he just knew this was a girl suffering in agony…" Kenshin whispered, his eyes distant with memory.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru said, near tears herself. "You don't have to continue."

Kenshin shook his head and resumed the story. "When this one tried to talk to Sakura-chan, Kero popped out into this one's face, screaming at this one to stay away from Sakura-chan and that if this one touched her he would pay dearly. This one hadn't got a good view of Kero before he began to yell at this one, but this one's first impression was that Kero was a large firefly. So this one calls Kero _Hotaru_ , that he does."

Heaving a big sigh, Kenshin continued, "After showing Kero this one's sakabatō and telling him that he would free Sakura-chan, this one took Sakura-chan in his arms and fled from the village. This one has never looked back. This one couldn't head back if he wanted to because the villagers have assuredly figured out who rescued her, that they have."

"So you've been banished," clarified Kaoru.

"Essentially. This one never was able to visit his family's graves, but they will have to understand. This one will never set a foot into a place that would treat a child so horribly for whatever reason, his hometown or not. And after learning about Sakura-chan's magic, this one knew that she couldn't leave this one's side. Though her Clow Cards possess enormous and dangerous power, she will never use them against a human being, even in her self-defense. Her kindness reins in the destructive power of the Cards that this one believes, if given the opportunity, would raise hell on her behalf. Sakura-chan needs someone to protect her, should she be discovered while capturing the Clow Cards and her secret revealed for the world to exploit."

"So that's why a rurouni like you would let someone else travel with you," murmured Kaoru.

Kenshin inclined his head in confirmation. "A person with tremendous power like her… will never be accepted in this time." Kenshin turned to gaze at Sakura laughing with Yahiko. "…She needs to go home, that she does," breathed Kenshin, his voice barely audible.

As Kenshin watched Sakura, Kaoru examined his face. It was as though the rurouni mask of polite aloofness fell away, replaced with a look of tenderness and sadness. The sight warmed her heart, causing Kaoru to blurt, "And Sakura-chan senses just how much you care about her. That's why she calls you nii-chan, _ne_?

Kenshin smiled, but Kaoru could tell his heart wasn't in it. "This one supposes so. However, this one is beginning to think that she doesn't call him 'nii-chan'. It's common in Japan for children to refer to their elders as older brothers and sisters, but Sakura-chan… This one wonders if Sakura-chan truly considers him to be her older brother."

Kaoru beamed, "Well, that's great isn't it? You got a family again."

Kenshin whipped his head around to face Kaoru, his eyes wide and mouth slightly open. In a strange turn of events, Kaoru saw the barriers around Kenshin reconstruct themselves, shutting Kaoru out. "Uh, sort of…" Kenshin mumbled, his eyes on the ground.

 _Huh? Why wouldn't he want a family again?_ Kaoru thought, baffled. _Even if he is a rurouni because he needs to repent, deep down he must not want to be a rurouni, with him being alone all the time. So why…_ Perhaps Kenshin didn't want to form such a profound connection to Sakura because he was trying to return her to her time, and they would be unable to see each other again. Or was it because Kenshin still felt guilty about being Battōsai and he viewed himself as unworthy… _Oh, I hope not,_ thought Kaoru, with a pang, _but I bet all of my money that it is. …And I don't think I can do anything to change his mind._ Smiling sadly, Kaoru said, "Well, just don't ever forget how much she cherishes you, no matter what happens." _Or has happened,_ Kaoru added mentally, referring to Kenshin's past as hitokiri Battōsai.

Kaoru must have said the right thing, because Kenshin's face broke out in a huge smile. " _Hai_ , this one won't forget."

He began to turn back to the laundry but he stopped, remembering something. "Oh, yes, this one almost forgot your other question: why Kero calls this one red head. Well, from the beginning Kero has called this one that. This one can only recall a few times Kero said this one's name. Based on the stories Sakura-chan has told this one of her adventures in the future, it seems like Kero must have a lot of respect for a person before calling them by their name. But even more than that, this one believes it is because that this one can protect Sakura-chan more than Kero can in the Meiji era. It bothers him."

Surprised, Kaoru asked, "Kero cares that much about Sakura-chan?"

"Oh, yes," Kenshin replied. "Very much so. The two of them are utterly inseparable-oro?"

Out of nowhere Sakura came running and plowed into Kenshin from behind, wrapping her arms around his legs. "Nii-chan! Yahiko-kun says he wants to learn how to cheerlead. He thinks it's cool and that'll help him train somehow."

A smile tugged at Kenshin's lips as he answered, "Then you should teach him."

"I know that!" Sakura cried, releasing her hold on Kenshin. "You just can't tell him that cheerleading is for girls. Or tell Kero-chan about this, because then he'll never leave Yahiko-kun alone." Sakura turned to Kaoru and put a finger over her lips, "You too! Shh!"

It took a lot of willpower for Kaoru not to laugh her head off. When Sakura continued stared at Kaoru waiting for her answer, Kaoru was forced to reluctantly nod her head. _But it would be so funny to see Yahiko's face when he learned he was doing something girly…_

Kenshin ruffled Sakura's hair. "Go on now."

"You don't need help with the laundry?" asked Sakura, craning her head back to see Kenshin. After Kenshin shook his head no, Sakura left singing a weird chant while throwing her wand into the air.

Witnessing the interaction between Kenshin and Sakura, which was nothing short of adorable in her opinion, Kaoru was left wondering. _Just how much of their relationship is brother and sister and father and daughter?_ After all, sleeping with someone else when having nightmares is what kids did with their parents. And Kenshin was… what? Seventeen years older than Sakura? In her darkest hour, Kenshin had taken Sakura in like a father, caring for her despite her strange magical abilities.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru hung her hung, biting her lip. "I'm sorry for asking about-"

Kenshin cut her off with, "Don't apologize. There's no need. This one wanted to tell you. Now you understand what will happen to Sakura-chan if her secret ever leaves this dojo and why we're traveling together. And most of all this one wanted you to know just how grateful he is that you are making Sakura-chan and this one smile."

Kenshin blinked. As fierce blush crept on his cheeks as he realized what he just said. He gathered the laundry baskets and make quick tracks to the house. After Kenshin left, Kaoru slowly began to overcome her shock. She touched her burning cheeks. _Did he just say what I thought he said? That I make him smile? I make him happy?_ A huge grin spread across her face. _Well, well, well. I just have to keep him smiling, don't I?_ She laughed to herself. _Maybe then he'll stay…_

"Hey, _busu_ ," Kero said in her ear, perching on her shoulder. "Red head's face is as red as his red hair and he won't talk ta me, giving me a glares instead. And with such a silly smile on yer face, something's up. What did ya do ta him? I need ta know so I can help Sakura keep the stupid brat away from her, making her sad and confused-"

Without thinking, Kaoru swatted Kero off her shoulder with the back of her hand, irritated that Kero had picked up Yahiko's habit of calling her _busu_. Realizing what she had done, Kaoru gasped. She had no idea how delicate Kero was and if her actions could have hurt him. It. Whatever he/it was.

Slowly and deliberately, Kero picked himself off the ground and sat up. He rubbed his face, flapping his wings tentatively. Then he stared up at Kaoru with his beady little black eyes. _That thing is creepy as hell_ , Kaoru drew in a giant breath. _Is he going to cry? Oh no…_

"KENSHIN!" The bloody thing howled.

A loud crash resounded through the house. In the span of a few breaths, Kenshin slammed the door to the house open, his sakabatō in hand. "What's wrong-?"

"KAORU IS IN LOVE WITH Y-!"

Livid, Kaoru kicked Kero so hard he sailed over the dojo gates, screaming bloody murder all the while. She panted heavily as her angry subsided. Once she stopped seeing red, she could make out everyone's horrified stares watching her and their gaping mouths. She tried her best to compose herself. Flipping her ponytail, she said, " _Hotaru_ ," as though that explained why she felt the need to kick a little helpless thing in the fifty feet in the air. She began to walk into the dojo, when a girl yelped from outside the gates.

Everyone froze, thinking the same thing. _Someone's discovered Kero!_ They all rushed to the dojo gates and swung them open. Right outside that gates, Tsubame sat on the ground, her arms and legs akimbo. A stick lay by her right hand.

"Tsubame!" Yahiko cried in surprise.

"Tsubame-chan? Are you all right?" Kaoru lifted Tsubame off the ground.

"W-W-What's that, Kaoru-san?" asked Tsubame, pointing at Kero on the ground. "It came flying out of nowhere, startling me. A-And it moved like it was alive when I poked it with a stick…"

"Oh yes, Tomoyo. I do look good on tape…" Kero muttered.

Acting on a quick thinking that Kaoru thought he didn't have, Yahiko grabbed Kero and shoved him into Sakura. He turned her around and pushed her into the dojo. With Sakura gone, he leaned onto the wall bordering the dojo and smiled at Tsubame. "Ah, it's nothing to worry about, Tsubame. You see… uh, a friend of mine is visiting from out of town. That thing was her doll. Oh, but don't worry. She's my cousin," He stretched his mouth into something that Kaoru supposed Yahiko believed was a reassuring smile. With his half lidded eyes it looked more creepy than anything else.

Kaoru caught Kenshin's questioning glance. Kaoru rolled her eyes. Kenshin smiled to himself, amused, and sheathed the sakabatō.

The noise seized Tsubame's attention. "Oh! I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself to your guests, Kaoru-san." Tsubame bowed to Kenshin and said, "My name is Sanjō Tsubame. I work at the Akabeko with Yahiko-kun. It's such a pleasure to meet Yahiko-kun's family. As a swordsman, you must be a source of great inspiration of Yahiko-kun as he trains under Kaoru-san."

Kenshin watched Tsubame, an expressionless look on his face. However, the slightly widened eyes showed the depths of his surprise. Kaoru couldn't figure out if Kenshin was more shocked about Yahiko liking someone with manners or being called a part of a family for the second time that day. Kenshin recovered quickly from his astonishment and bowed in return. " _Konnichiwa_. This one's name is Himura Kenshin. It is nice to meet you, Tsubame-chan. But there seems to be some mista-"

Kaoru cut Kenshin off with a warning glare; it was simply too risky to explain things now that Yahiko's lie had screwed them all over. Smiling down at Tsubame, Kaoru asked, "And what brings you to the dojo, Tsubame-chan? Are you here to see Yahiko?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yahiko straighten. _Kami-sama. Make up your mind, Yahiko. Sakura or Tsubame?_

"Actually…" Tsubame said, growing a bit sad. "My family is having some sort of emergency. They won't tell me much details… but they asked if I can stay here tonight. But you already have guests so I'll go see if Tae-san-"

"No, no, Tsubame-chan! I couldn't turn you away!" Kaoru cried, but inwardly she groaned. She loved the timid, but compassionate Tsubame, truly, but how could she possibly provide for everyone and keep them from killing each other? Sano was due to arrive any minute now. "Come on in. Dinner was about to be made anyway, so you came just in time." She ushered Tsubame and Yahiko inside the walls and Kenshin closed the gate behind them. "Sakura-chan!" Kaoru called. "Come meet our guest!"

"I hope you mean me, Missie, because I'm hungry. Hey, who's this little thing?" Sano asked, stopping the gate from closing with a hand. He invited himself in without permission as though he owned the place and strolled up to Tsubame.

Seeing Sano's behavior caused Kaoru's blood to start to boil. With Sano here that brought the total number of people and things living here to what? 20? That of course meant 12,567 mouths to feed. And a budget of over a million yen. Heaven forbid another person appeared asking her for something. She silently resolved to throttle the next person who walked through her gates even if it was the Emperor himself.

* * *

A small boy dressed in green stood on the topmost branches of a tree near the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū dojo. He watched silently as the strangest group in all of Japan gather in the dojo: a young woman who was the instructor of the dojo, another young boy with an ego as big as an elephant, a red headed man who was responsible for mass genocide but now a mild mannered rurouni, a waitress, an ex-gangster who proudly wore the symbol for evil on his back, and… A small girl ran out of the house, her arms open, enveloping the other girl into a hug.

…And a little girl who possessed mysterious powers that twisted the laws of reality. The small boy in the tree clenched his fist. Finally.

He had found them.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in order they appear within chapter):

Kamiya Kasshin-ryū-This sword style was created by Kaoru's late father after ten years of work. It is a sword style that teaches how to protect others without killing them (i.e. using bokkens and shinais rather than swords) but as Kenshin points out, the style can be used with swords that can kill.

Seinan War-also called the Satsuma rebellion; a nine month war that occurred in 1877 of Meiji. It was an uprising of samurai dissatisfied with the government and their place in society. After the Meiji Restoration following the end of the Bakumatsu, many samurai were poor and struggling to give up their old way of life of fighting. Many turned to robbery, staining the once held great honor the samurai class had. Kaoru's father was drafted into the Seinan War and died.

Hitokiri Battōsai- hitokiri means assassin or literally manslayer. Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu technique, Kenshin's trademark attack. According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." During the Bakumatsu, Kenshin became an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. He was feared by all for his astounding swordsmanship abilities that allowed him to kill so many people. Many legends compare him to a demon. Kenshin fought for the Ishin Shishi for five years (ages 14 to 19).

Rurouni-Rurouni is a made up term created from the words " _ru_ " which means to wander and " _ronin_ " or masterless samurai. (Note: Kenshin did have a Master, but he ran away to fight with the Ishin Shishi, cutting off all ties with him) After fighting for the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin traveled Japan for ten years as a rurouni. Carrying his sakabatō, Kenshin protected people, but he never stayed in any place for long. By helping as many people as possible as a wandering rurouni, Kenshin hoped to repent for the murders he committed as a hitokiri Battōsai. As a rurouni, Kenshin often masks his true feelings behind a smile or acting as though he is less skilled with a sword than he really is.

Himura Kenshin-Kenshin is rurouni, a wanderer, and the former hitokiri Battōsai. He has unusual red hair and violet eyes. On the shorter side, at a glance Kenshin is often mistaken to be a woman. In addition, though he is 28, he looks about ten years younger. He learned his sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, from his master. When he was fourteen, he ran away from his Master to fight in the civil war, during the Bakumatsu, hoping to defend the weak. Kenshin joined the Ishin Shishi, who were determined to topple the corrupt Japanese government and bring equality to Japan citizens. Because of Kenshin's great skills as a swordsman and Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he became hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin fought for five years. Afterwards he disappeared and traveled Japan, becoming a rurouni. As a rurouni, Kenshin protected people with his sakabatō, but because of his bloody past, he never stayed in one place for long. Two months before he entered Tokyo, Kenshin met Sakura and the two began to travel together. Kenshin is a fictional character, but the history of the Bakumatsu and the Ishin Shishi are real.

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Revolution-another name for the Meiji Restoration, or the end of the Bakumatsu and the start of a new Meiji government

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards as well as her magic wand to fight the rampaging Clow Cards.

Hai-yes

Clow Reed-He was the greatest magician of all of history until Sakura captured all of the Clow Cards and turned them into Sakura Cards. He created the Clow Cards, Clow Book, Kero and Yue. He lived and died long before Sakura was born.

Code Bird-A term I made that refers to a plan that Sakura and Kenshin created. Sakura using the Windy Clow Card to give temporary "flight" to Kenshin and he uses this "flight" to add to the force of the sakabatō's swing. Code Bird hints to the fact that Kenshin and Sakura created plans for using the Clow Cards in battle.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Fiery-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. It is also one of the two cards Kero needs Sakura to have captured in order for Kero to possess all of his power and turn into his "final form". Fiery has to power to control and summon fire.

Shadow-One of the Clow Cards. It has the power to steal shadows and create monsters from them. The Shadow Clow Card can touch others, but no one can touch Shadow.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings, and when in that form, he can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is his master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Earthy-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. It is also one of the two cards Kero needs Sakura to have captured in order for Kero to possess all of his power and turn into his "final form". Earthy has the power to control the earth. According to the Chinese balance of five elements, the Earthy Card is weak to wood.

Meiji Era-period of time from 1868 to 1912. Rurouni Kenshin series (and this story) takes place in the eleventh year of Meiji, 1878. Following the collapse of the shogun, the corrupt Japanese government, in the Bakumatsu, a new emperor succeed the throne. Meiji era is an era of time marked by the transition between the feudal era to becoming more modern by the influence of Western countries.

Zanbatō-Sano's weapon. According to the manga the zanbatō is, "a giant weapon… designed to take down horse and rider in one swing. It is the heaviest katana ever made. Because of its weight, it is said that no one has ever been able to weld it to its full capacity."

Hotaru-firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Cardcaptor-Sakura is the Cardcaptor, meaning that it is her responsibility to recapture the freed Clow Cards and become their master.

Yakuza-crime syndicate of Japan that has been around for centuries and still exists today

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of onii or and the "san" honorific instead of the "chan" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Windy-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Sakura captured Windy in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Windy is the gentlest of all the cards. Windy has the power to control winds and can use these winds to bind objects or people.

Jump-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Jump in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Jump's normal form is a bunny. Sakura uses the Jump Card to jump to high elevations and avoid attacks.

Fly-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Fly in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Fly's normal form is a giant bird. Sakura uses the Fly card to produce wings on her wand and fly on the wand. Sakura also has the ability to make the wings appear on her back instead of the wand, allowing her to use the wand for other magic.

Rurouni Cardcaptor-a term that I created for this story. Sakura created the cute term. It can refer to Sakura and Kenshin collectively or their duty to capture the Clow Cards that are freed in the Meiji era.

Baka-idiot, dummy, stupid

Futon-Japanese mattress that is put on the floor and used as a bed

Onee-san-Older sister; the "o" attached to "nee" signals formality as well as the "san" honorific. Sakura refers to Kaoru in a more formal way because she doesn't know Kaoru as well.

Ohayō-good morning

Tōya-Tōya is Sakura's biological older brother from the future. He often teases Sakura, calling her a monster for stomping around the house and getting angry. Tōya is known for getting a lot of part time times and spending time volunteering. Throughout the manga/anime, Tōya often had jobs or volunteered at places that Sakura was visiting or capturing Clow Cards. This occurs so often that it is hypothesized that Tōya uses these jobs to watch over Sakura.

Sakura's wand-Sakura uses a pink wand to direct her magic when capturing a Clow Card. When she is not using the wand, it transforms into a pendant that is shaped like a key. She must use a chant to release the wand from its key pendant form. When Sakura was transforming the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, the wand also changed. It became a Star Wand. In the Meiji Era however, the wand is in its original state and not a Star Wand.

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. (I could go in more detail as a gi isn't really a shirt in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

"that it is", "that I am", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

Sakabatō-Kenshin's reverse blade sword. The dull side of the blade is where the sharp edge should be and vice versa. In this way, Kenshin can fight with a sword but not kill, only breaking bones instead. It is a symbol of Kenshin's vow never to kill again. Kenshin has carried the sakabatō for ten years as he traveled as a rurouni.

Ne-right? Isn't it? "Ne" asks for confirmation or agreement. It is used in situations in which the person speaking is asking if what they said was correct and/or if the person they were talking to agrees with what was said.

Busu-ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Akabeko-Akabeko is a beef pot restaurant owned by Tae's father. In Meiji, beef pot was seen as a representative of European food, and, thanks to its cheap price, was available and popular among the general public.

Konnichiwa-hello; good afternoon

Kami-sama-god or Lord god

Tae-Tae is Kaoru's best friend. Her father owns the Akabeko, but she helps manage the business as well. She and her father are the boss of Yahiko and Tsubame, who work at the Akabeko. Tae is in her twenties and is still single, a fact that bothers her greatly.

* * *

Important note! Unfortunately, I am going to be very busy this week again. I will post the next chapter this Saturday or Sunday. I'm sorry for all the long delays, but hopefully after this it will be easier to post new chapters quicker.

Lots to say this time around! First off, I was very, very tempted to have Kero shout that Kaoru was pregnant with Kenshin's child instead of her being in love with Kenshin, but it would have been out of character. He would never say something like that, especially with Sakura and Yahiko nearby. This won't be the last you hear of Yahiko's cheerleading… *evil grin*. It shall appear again. At some point. If I don't forget it while typing new chapters.

Looking back, I'm not sure that the explanation about Sakura and Kenshin's first meeting is split up into two was the best of ideas. I could have moved Kaoru and Kenshin's conversation to Sakura's conversation but I feel that I would have missed an opportunity to develop Kenshin and Kaoru's relationship. So I left it the way it is. Speaking of Kenshin and Kaoru's relationship, I am aware that Kenshin's Freudian slip about Kaoru making him smile is a little out of character for Kenshin. There is a reason for this that I won't explain now. This author's notes are long enough already and it doesn't play a big role until a couple of chapter later. I hope that you can forgive me and wait patiently until I explain.

I want to thank Omasuoniwabanshi for helping me realize that I wasn't very clear on the exact nature of the relationship between Sakura and Kenshin. Hopefully, with what I added, I was able to explain that Sakura truly sees Kenshin as an older brother while Kenshin is much more hesitant to accept such feelings (for a reason that will be explained later).

Moving on to other stuff, a friend of mine read over this chapter and believes that Sakura and Kenshin sleeping beside each other when either of them has nightmares is creepy/weird. I find it adorable so I kept it. I also think that it's a good way of showing Kenshin acts like a father to Sakura at times. Don't think I'm weird because I find this cute, please. :P It really doesn't play a big role in the story at all so it doesn't matter much.

For those who are unfamiliar with the CCS universe, if you didn't understand Sakura's comment about her mom, this is what I mean: in the CCS universe Sakura meets an illusion of her mother's ghost. This causes Sakura to believe her mom is watching over her. Sakura says to Kaoru that she is unsure if Sakura's mom knows that Sakura has traveled to the past. If Sakura's mom doesn't know that Sakura traveled to the past, she can't continue to watch over Sakura.

Hello, Omasuoniwabanshi! I'm glad you are enjoying reading about the Cardcaptor series and that your unfamiliarity isn't confusing and discouraging you. I hope to continue to combine magic and swordsmanship in the future, but, with my lack of knowledge about the latter, it may a little difficult. Still, I will try my best. I'm glad you found Sakura scolding Kenshin to be funny (boy, you and everyone are in for a treat later…) You're right, at this point and time, Kaoru wouldn't be comfortable with scolding Kenshin but Sakura definitely is! I was afraid the "repeat after me" would have been a bit too much. However, I figured Kenshin would have told Sakura that line at some point so Sakura was just parroting Kenshin. Your comments about Sakura seeing everyone as family and that Kenshin is Sakura's protector and friend helped me realize that I may not have been clear about Kenshin and Sakura's relationship. So thanks for that! Hopefully with this chapter sheds some light on the subject. You're right in thinking that Sakura wants to see everyone as her family because she's young and cheerful. I think another reason would be that she is awfully lonely in this time and she is desperately seeking reassurance and love that she is missing by being apart from her family. This makes her cling to Kenshin and want to form stronger bonds with him and everyone else than normal. Haha, yes you should definitely google Kero and see what he looks like. (I wish I can see your mental image of him. :) ) Thank you for reading and reviewing the chapter even though I know you're busy!

Hello, Yasha! Ah, there's no rush! You can read this story anytime. It's not going anywhere. :) I do really appreciate you reading and reviewing my story even though you're busy! Because you are new to both of the series, I am interesting in hearing your opinion about them. What do you think of the characters and the two series? Which characters do you like and which ones not as much? I know I take some things for granted when it comes to the character's personalities, so I hope that you can tell me if there is anything you think that I can do better in that department (or any department!). With the next chapter I introduced the last of the four major characters so any advice going forward would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for saying that my writing is wonderful. I'm very happy to hear that I am able to help you enjoy reading about RK and CCS despite your lack of familiarity with them. Thank you for your review!

Next chapter: Link and Navi infiltrate the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū dojo and cause great damage! Navi screams in everyone's faces to listen to her while Link destroys every vase and pot in sight! :) Just kidding. Li Syaoran finally makes his appearance in the story and let's just say he isn't very happy with Sakura's… "kidnappers".


	6. The Boy Dressed in Green!

So because I felt guilty of the long waiting time I worked on getting this chapter ready to be posted earlier. Here's the chapter everyone (hopefully) has been waiting for! Syaoran makes his first appearance within the story. And… is that a Clow Card going out of control?

Disclaimer: No matter how many characters I introduce, I don't own any of them.

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CHAPTER FIVE

The Boy Dressed in Green!

 _Thwack!_

"Augh!" Kenshin cried, his back arching in pain. Confused, Kenshin turned around to look at his assailant.

Syaoran, wearing his green Chinese magical combat outfit, stared Kenshin down. He hefted his sword, ready to whack Kenshin with the flat of the blade again if the need arose. "I, Li Syaoran of the Li Clan of Magicians, won't forgive you hurting Sakura. Draw your sword!" Though he was doing his best to project a manly and determined visage of a confident hero and rescuer, Syaoran could feel the strong magic the man before him possessed. Magic that would be difficult to fight. He glanced behind Kenshin to see the dojo instructor named Kaoru sending waves of hate towards him in her glare even though he had done nothing to her.

 _It doesn't matter_. Nothing would stop Syaoran now that he was finally here.

"Syaoran-kun!"

Before he could react, Syaoran was plowed into by a bulldozer. Syaoran's manly image vanished completely in the wake of the girl who pounced him. "Get off!" Syaoran shouted, but his anger dissolved when he saw who had tackled him.

A young girl with short brown hair and green eyes stared angrily back. "Don't hurt nii-chan!"

Syaoran's mouth dropped open at the sight of Sakura. As much as he wanted to return her embrace, they were still in danger. "Sakura." Syaoran said briskly, as he stood. He offered his hand to Sakura and lifted her up gently, holding onto to her hand a little longer than necessary. After letting her hand drop from his grasp, Syaoran stepped in front of Sakura and brandished his sword. "Stay back, Sakura. I must face these kidnappers!"

"Hoe?!" Sakura cried, flabbergasted.

Unfortunately, no one seemed to take Syaoran very seriously. Kenshin appeared more confused than intimidated, Kaoru continued to glare at him, Sano watched the affair amused, and Tsubame turned to Yahiko for reassurance. Only on Yahiko did Syaoran's challenge have the desired effect: anger.

"Hey, you kid!" Yahiko cried, his hands on his hips. "I don't know what you're deal is, but I've had enough. Only Sano can barge in here like he owns the place."

"No, he can't!" shouted Kaoru.

"Oh, yes I can," Sano grinned, patting Kaoru's back. "I do it all the time. You let me."

"Oh yeah? Say that again and let's see what happens!"

" _Maa_ , _maa_ …" Kenshin attempted to ease the tension, but he had to resort to physically holding Kaoru back.

"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura touched Syaoran's shoulder. "Please, listen to me. They're not bad people. They're my-"

Far too angry with Kenshin and the rest of his gang, Syaoran snipped, "Sakura, lay off. I have to do this."

"B-But…" whimpered Sakura. "Syaoran-kun…"

"Anyway!" Yahiko interjected, giving Kenshin, Sano, and Kaoru a pointed look. He turned to Syaoran and continued, "I don't like your attitude. It reminds of those goons who tried to frame the dojo for murders Kaoru and I didn't do. And do you know what happened to them…?" Yahiko evilly grinned, "They got sacked."

"Not by you," Kaoru commented, momentarily forgetting her grudge with Sano.

" _Aa_ ," agreed Kenshin, frowning. "And this one didn't kill them for the record."

"Shut! Up!" Yahiko shouted, facing Kenshin, Kaoru, and Sano.

Syaoran sighed, already bored of this conversation. "Look at you getting angry over nothing. And why? Because they're not letting you try to look cool? Really, such a child. I don't have time waste with you. Get out of my way."

"Syaoran-kun, that's horrible!" cried Sakura. "Stop this right now!"

Angry and embarrassed, Yahiko sputtered, "Y-You're the same age as me!"

Syaoran laughed. If only this boy knew just how much he had been through. Even if they were the same age or close in years, Syaoran's experiences while capturing the Clow Cards had surely changed him, giving him wisdom and courage that few could match (or so he liked to think). Syaoran rested his sword on his shoulder and snidely taunted, "You should call me _sempai_ , stick wielder."

"Why you…" Yahiko growled.

"Yahiko-kun…?" Tsubame whispered.

With a furious yank, Yahiko ripped the shinai free of its bounds off his back and brandished it Syaoran. "I, Myōjin Yahiko, student of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū will beat you into a bloody pulp for attacking Kenshin and for treating Sakura horribly!" He entered a fighting stance about to launch himself at Syaoran.

Syaoran narrowed his eyes. In contempt so hot it bordered on hate, he said, "Who are you to speak of Sakura? I'll make you pay for hurting her!"

Syaoran studied Yahiko's stance. Recognizing it as ancient form of swordplay, Syaoran adjusted his grip on his sword accordingly, ready to meet Yahiko's strike. _It's been a long time since I've fought like this… but I've come too far to falter!_

Even though the other residents of the dojo began to protest the fight, the world descended into a world of no sound as the man and boy squared off, each waiting for a perfect moment to strike. The wind blew, but still the two stood still. When a leaf flew between them, it momentarily blocked Syaoran's vision of Yahiko. _No!_

With a scream, Yahiko jumped in the air, the shinai high above his head. "Kamiya Kasshin-ryū! Head-"

" _Raitei Shourai_!"

A bolt of lightning streaked from the _jufu_ , a slip of enchanted paper, Syaoran placed on the sword and struck Yahiko's chest, sending him flying into the wall of the dojo. He crumpled on the remains of the splinted and broken wooden boards and lay still. A small trail of smoke rose from his smoldering gi.

"Yahiko!" Kaoru cried. All of the adults and Tsubame dashed to Yahiko side, fussing over him.

Syaoran smiled, smug. _That's one down._ Satisfied that he had created a distraction large enough to allow them to escape, Syaoran walked over to Sakura. She sat on her legs, as though her knees had gone out from underneath her. Offering a hand to Sakura, Syaoran said, "Come on, Sakura. I'm getting you out of here." Sakura didn't even look at him; she was staring at Yahiko's prone form.

"You." A voice dripping with venom snapped. Syaoran looked up to see the woman staring at him with a near murderous look on her face. "How dare you attack my student?!"

Syaoran blinked. "He challenged me to a fight. I won."

"To a _sword_ fight! Not your stupid hocus pocus magic or whatever." Standing up, she shouted, "You cheated!"

Cheated? Syaoran was a magician and a martial artist. Not a swordsman. If that boy, Yahiko challenged him to a fight, then Syaoran would fight using his abilities he felt the most comfortable with. While Syaoran felt guilty for using magic on a person who was magically defenseless, Syaoran's shame vanished when he thought of how these people had kept Sakura from him. With little remorse, Syaoran asked, "Does Sakura like you?"

"Eh?" Kaoru said, completely caught off guard.

"I want to know if Sakura would be upset if I insulted you by calling you a moron instead of keeping the thought to myself."

Kaoru grabbed Yahiko's shinai off the ground, furious. "You little brat-!"

"Don't, Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin gripped Kaoru's arm, trying to rein her in. But she would not be stopped. Though held in place by Kenshin, Kaoru attacked the only way she could. She threw the shinai at Syaoran, nailing him right between the eyes. Holding his head, Syaoran moaned. For the next few moments all he could see when he opened his eyes was stars.

Sano restrained Kaoru by grabbing a hold of her shoulders as Kenshin attempted to rectify the situation. He took a step forward, putting himself in between Kaoru, Sano, Tsubame, and Yahiko. He raised both hands in the air in a pacifying manner and asked, "Syaoran-kun, yes? Please, listen to this one. There is no need to fight. This one can see that you are only concerned for Sakura's wellbeing, that you are. We have not kidnapped Sakura, nor have harmed her."

 _Utter trash._ Seething, Syaoran pointed his sword at Kenshin's chest and spat, "Liar! I know what you did to her in that village east of here! I will never, never, never forgive you!" A _jufu_ appeared in Syaoran's hand. Pressing it against the sword, he uttered another incantation, " _Suiryū_ _Shou-_ "

"Stop! Don't hurt my friends!"

In the corner of his eye, Syaoran could see a small blur step in front of him, but he was unable to stop forming the words of the incantation. _Sakura! No!_

"- _rai_!"

At the last moment, with a lot of luck and a sheer force of will, the wall of water missed its target. Instead of hitting Sakura, it flew to the side as Syaoran picture vividly in his mind, directing every particle of water through magic.

Because attacking Sakura was something Syaoran could never visualize.

Syaoran's heart nearly gave out from bending the magic that was already released. A simple feat to have accomplished if he was the Cardcaptor, but not so for him. As Syaoran leaned on his sword for support, sweat dripping down his face, Sakura rushed to his side. "Syaoran-kun!"

Gasping for breath, Syaoran asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm more worried about you!" Sakura cried, tears running down her face.

 _Is she really?_ Syaoran asked, his heart breaking in pain. Slowly, Syaoran stood up, ignoring Sakura. He stared at the ground in front of him and muttered, "'Your friends'."

"Huh?" Sakura's eyebrows knotted in confusion. "Oh yes! They're not my kidnappers, like Ken-nii said. He saved me. And Kaoru onee-san is offering a place for Ken-nii and I to stay and Yahiko-kun, Tsubame-chan, and Sano-"

"I'M YOUR FRIEND!" Syaoran screamed in Sakura's face.

"S-S-Syaoran-kun…?" Sakura asked, taking a step back.

"I was supposed to leave back to Hong Kong. I was at the airport waiting to see if you would come to say goodbye or tell me your feelings or just to see your face again when Tomoyo came running up her face covered with tears shouting that you had disappeared! I ran out of the airport, searching for you, searching without stopping for two whole days, using every magical ability I had to locate you, but you and that plush toy, Kero, disappeared off the face of the planet! My family wanted me back in Hong Kong even though they knew you were missing but I wouldn't go and they kept on pushing and pushing but I ran away because Tomoeda was your home and it was the closest thing to you that I could get. And Meiling was so scared for me that she came to Tomoeda from Hong Kong. But even with her there, the days lasted forever without knowing where you were and if you were okay and but no matter what I did the days just kept on dragging on… until after about a month and a half after you disappeared when your family began to wonder if you had died when I finally told them. I told your dad and Tōya everything, about magic, about the Clow Cards, about Kero, everything. Tomoyo showed them the videos she made. I told them everything because I couldn't let the people you loved suffer any longer. Because I couldn't-I refused to lose hope when I knew that wherever you were you wouldn't give up and were trying to come back. To come back… to me…" Syaoran whispered, his voice cracking and tears slipping down his face.

"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura sobbed. "I'm so sorry… I, I…"

Syaoran swallowed his tears and clenched his fists. "And when I come here and finally find you after another month and a half of searching, what do I find? You already have new friends! A new older brother and sister and friends to replace your old ones! Have you forgotten about everyone back in Tomoeda? Your father, Tōya, and Tomoyo? Have you forgotten about me? Maybe I should just go back to Hong Kong!"

"S-Syaoran…"

Before anyone could react, the ground beneath everyone began to shake viciously, throwing everyone to the ground. With a furious crack, a massive tree grew out from underneath the dojo, breaking the dojo in half. Kaoru screamed in horror. Its branches shot out towards everyone.

"Wood Clow Card!" Sakura shouted. "Everyone run away and hide!"

Sano grabbed Yahiko and lifted him over his shoulder. After helping Kaoru stand, Kenshin grabbed Tsubame's hand with one of his own. Everyone ran towards the dojo gates.

At speeds rivaling a modern car, a thick branch flew towards Sakura. _Not while I'm here!_ Syaoran stepped in front of Sakura, holding his sword in front of him. " _Kashin Shourai_!"

Red hot flames spewed out of the card, becoming a fiery missile that consumed the branch flying their way. Aflame, the branch shrank back and shriveled up into ash. "Are you okay, Sakura?" Syaoran asked, keeping his eyes out for any more branches coming their way.

"Your blast of water magic earlier must have excited the Wood Card. But I only have the Fly, Jump, and Windy Cards. I don't have Watery to capture it!"

"Stuffed animal?" asked Syaoran, using his typical insulting nickname for Kero. Syaoran grunted as he created yet another fire missile to ward off the branches.

Standing alongside him, Sakura called forth Windy and blasted the growing number of branches coming their way, her school uniform transforming into her Cardcaptor outfit. "Kero-chan is unconscious right now. We can't-!" Several branches twisted out of the way of Syaoran's fire bullets and slipped through Windy's grasp. Sakura gasped. "Fly!"

At her command, Sakura's wand sprouted wings. Sakura grabbed Syaoran and the two soared into the air, sitting on top of Sakura's wand. After climbing out of Wood's reach, Sakura flew in a wide circle around the dojo, surveying the damage the Wood Clow Card caused. From above, they two could see leaves growing on the branches. "I don't see Ken-nii anywhere…" Sakura muttered.

Ignoring her concern for her kidnappers, Syaoran wrapped his arms around Sakura to keep from falling off. "I wasn't there when you captured the Wood Card. What happened?"

"Wood kept on growing until it reached sunlight and a water source. But it already reached sunlight and had a bit of your water magic. I don't know why it's still growing!"

Syaoran watched the Wood's movements. It was growing out to the sides, but not upwards like normal trees. _Why not?_ He gasped as he spied the reason. Pointing to the well, Syaoran exclaimed, "Wood's growing deeper roots so it can get water from underground!"

"Hoe?! But how can we stop it from getting more water underground? We can't attack the ground!"

"I got an idea. Head to the center of the tree!" Not questioning Syaoran's decision, Sakura nodded. Syaoran held Sakura tighter as they flew in a nosedive towards the dojo. "Hey, Wood!" Syaoran cried. "Thirsty? _Suiryū_ _Shourai_!" Branches greedily soaked up the water and began to give them chase.

"S-Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked, fear creeping in her voice as she tried to maneuver between the branches flying at them.

"Keep going!"

Even though branches cut their faces, clothes, and hands, Sakura speed up, aiming for the heart of the card in the dojo. Syaoran continued to blast more water at Wood, only adding to the number of branches chasing them, trying to grab the Sakura's wand. When they were above the dojo, Syaoran shouted, "You like this magical water? Then submit to Sakura and become my Clow Card!"

The bait must have been too good to offer. Because as soon as he finished speaking, branches shot up from the center of the dojo floor, wrapped itself around Syaoran's neck and waist and yanked him off the wand. They released Syaoran, causing him to free fall over fifty meters above the ground.

"SYAORAAAAAAAAAAN-KUUUUUUUNNNN!"

And then Sakura too, began to fall.

 _Darkness. Everything is dark, but I can still feel the wind rushing past me. Is it welcoming me to death? But do I welcome death? I did find her. I finally found Sakura after a three months of searching in the present and then Meiji… she's safe. She's happy. She has a new family. She must be happier in this time. She doesn't need me. She doesn't want me. She must not love me. I just have to accept that. Accept that I'm falling to my death without ever getting to hear if she loved me back. Never…_

Suddenly, anger and determination coursed through him. _No… No, I can't let that happen!_ _I refuse to die without hearing her answer!_

Arisen by a surge of emotions and will to live, Syaoran's magic awakened him from near unconsciousness. Against the pull of the wind, Syaoran struggled to and raise the sword and _jufu_ toward the ground. " _Suiryū_ _Shourai_!" A waterfall of water crashed toward the dojo and the branches rushed up at Syaoran wanting more. So consumed by the joy of the magical water, Wood wrapped Syaoran into a cocoon of branches, and darkness grasped Syaoran yet again as the branches around his neck wrapped tighter.

 _More! More!_ Syaoran grimaced, pumping all of his being into the magic pouring out of him. _I must save Sakura!_

The world around him exploded into light and sound, the branches wrapping around him disappearing. On the edge of his hearing, he could make out Sakura screaming as she hurtled to the ground. His strength and magic almost spent, Syaoran whispered two words, the only words that could possibly save them both from certain death.

" _Fukka_ … _Shourai_."

Just as Syaoran was about to smash into the ground, a gentle breeze caught him lifting him to his feet. Without hesitation, the wind moved to embrace Sakura, bringing her to his waiting arms. Her wand noisily clattered to the floor beside them. Tired, Syaoran fell to his knees. "Sakura…" he murmured, brushing her cold and clammy face. "Wake up." He raised his eyes to see three maidens floating before him, one green, one glowing, and the last covered in petals. "Everything's okay now," he whispered, his voice raw and cracking from the damage caused by the branches.

With a moan, Sakura opened her eyes. She seemed disoriented at first, but she gasped in surprise when she saw the maidens.

"Seal them."

Sakura snagged the wand off the ground, stood up, and chanted, "Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Cards!"

Three cards appeared at the end of her wand: The Wood, The Glow, The Flower. They rose into the air and hovered by Syaoran. He stood up and grabbed the cards. With a pen he always kept hidden on his Chinese magic combat outfit, Syaoran began to write his name on the cards. He smiled reassuringly at Sakura, who was openly staring at him. "What's wrong?" Though he tried to be calm and collected so not to frighten Sakura further, his hands shook. Syaoran couldn't tell whether it was because of exhaustion or nerves.

"How…?" Sakura murmured.

"Wood is excited by water, right? Magical water is purer than the underground water it wanted, so once I proved to Wood how good my water magic was, it grew calm, and allowed itself to become a card. The Glow and Flower Cards I defeated on my way here, but because I'm not the Cardcaptor I can't seal cards so they've been… following me… around," Syaoran coughed.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked, concerned. Syaoran nodded at her.

"Sakura-chan!"

Syaoran and Sakura turned to see Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano, and Yahiko enter the dojo. Kaoru fell to her knees, staring at the destruction Wood caused. Because Yahiko was leaning on Sano for support, Sano chose not to push Yahiko and remained by the entrance. However, Kenshin ran forward to Sakura, knelt, and hugged her. "Sakura-chan! Are you all right?" He released the hug to get a good look at her.

"I'm fine. Wood has been captured along with two other Clow Cards," Sakura smiled wearily at Kenshin.

"Are you sure you're ok-" Kenshin started, but Kaoru's sob stopped him.

"The dojo… my father's dojo… it's destroyed…"

Kenshin half turned to Kaoru, his empathy and sadness for her clearly etched on his face. "Kaoru-dono… This one is so, so sorry…"

"Don't worry," Syaoran said, stepping forward with Wood in between his fingers. "Clow Card! Wood!" Syaoran cried, pressing the card to his sword. The Wood maiden appeared from the card. Using her power, the broken wooden boards mended themselves, moving over the holes created by the tree, and growing until the dojo floor, walls, and ceiling were completely restored to normal. Even the hole Syaoran had created when he sent Yahiko flying was fixed. Kaoru gasped in surprise.

Spent far beyond his limits, Syaoran collapsed to the ground.

"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura rushed to Syaoran's side and lifted him up.

Sakura held Syaoran as he apologized, "Sakura… I'm sorry for saying that I should go back to Hong Kong. I didn't mean it. I was … I was tried and exhausted from searching and… scared and I just blew it. I-"

"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura threw her arms around Syaoran's shoulders and hugged him close. "Syaoran-kun…" She sobbed. "I missed you. I missed you so much."

Hearing her words and sobs broke the last of Syaoran's weary resolve, and tears formed in his eyes. He hugged Sakura back fiercely. "I finally found you…"

Though Syaoran knew Sakura hadn't answered him yet, and may even reject him, seeing her again, hugging her, all of his searching was worth it. He would wait forever for her to answer. Even if she didn't return his feelings, he still needed her in his life or else it wouldn't be complete. He would be the empty, scared shell of himself that he had been the three months Sakura was missing. But here and now… they were together. No matter what it took, Syaoran would ensure they would never be separated again.

 _I love you, Sakura._

 _Always._

* * *

Feeling the moment between Sakura and Syaoran should be private, one by one the residents of the dojo began to leave. After watching the two for a little bit, Kenshin rose and walked over to Kaoru. Murmuring words of comfort, he helped Kaoru stand. She cried as Kenshin wrapped an arm around her waist and led her out of the dojo.

But Yahiko didn't want to leave.

Sensing Yahiko's reluctance, Sano placed a hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "There's more fish in the sea, you know." Yahiko didn't move. Sano patted his shoulder one more time before, he too, left.

Yahiko continued to stare at Sakura. Kero groggily flew up beside him, muttering, "What's going on? What's all da fuss about?" He paused. Then he rubbed his eyes. He stared. Then he rubbed his eyes.

"Nooo! Not the brat! I haven't found any answers to love's mysteries yet and who shows up? The brat! Just ta spite me!" Seeing Yahiko's confused expression, Kero impatiently explained, "I'm Sakura's guardian and her best friend. So when the brat confessed to her, making Sakura scared and confused, I felt compelled ta help her. But I was created! I don't know anything about human love! And then when I finally find two adults who may be in love, what happens? One doesn't answer me, thinking that I'm teasing him-and maybe I am just a little-and the other smacks me and kicks me so hard I go sailing and get knocked out and miss whatever happened here and, and, and I need candy! Now!" Kero huffed and crossed his arms.

After a pause, Kero asked Yahiko, "I don't suppose ya know anything about love, do ya?"

Yahiko continued to stare at Sakura.

 _No. No, I don't._

Kero sighed. Yahiko couldn't stand to see them together anymore, so he turned and left, making his way to the gates, when he heard a whimper that made him freeze.

"Monsters… monsters and magic exist…" Tsubame lay huddled in a corner, shaking and muttering things to herself.

 _Oh crap._

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Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in order they appear within chapter):

Himura Kenshin-Kenshin is rurouni, a wanderer, and the former hitokiri Battōsai. He has unusual red hair and violet eyes. On the shorter side, at a glance Kenshin is often mistaken to be a woman. In addition, though he is 28, he looks about ten years younger. He learned his sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, from his master. When he was fourteen, he ran away from his Master to fight in the civil war, during the Bakumatsu, hoping to defend the weak. Kenshin joined the Ishin Shishi, who were determined to topple the corrupt Japanese government and bring equality to Japan citizens. Because of Kenshin's great skills as a swordsman and Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he became hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin fought for five years. Afterwards he disappeared and traveled Japan, becoming a rurouni. As a rurouni, Kenshin protected people with his sakabatō, but because of his bloody past, he never stayed in one place for long. Two months before he entered Tokyo, Kenshin met Sakura and the two began to travel together. Kenshin is a fictional character, but the history of the Bakumatsu and the Ishin Shishi are real.

Li Syaoran-Syaoran is an eleven-year-old boy from Hong Kong. He is the youngest member of the Li family, a magical family that can trace its history all the way back to Clow Reed. In the beginning of the anime/manga Syaoran's arrogance caused a competition of sorts between him and Sakura to capture Clow Cards, however, as the series progressed, Syaoran began to respect and then love Sakura. While Syaoran has magic of his own and can use the Clow Cards he helped capture, because Syaoran is not the Cardcaptor, he cannot seal Clow Cards through his own power.

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards as well as her magic wand to fight the rampaging Clow Cards.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Hoe-Hoe is a made up word that is Sakura's trademark. She uses it when confused, embarrassed, or surprised. As far as I know it has no meaning other than conveying Sakura's feelings.

Maa, maa-Now, now; used to calm people down (In Kenshin's case usually unsuccessfully :) )

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Sempai-An honorific that is used when addressing someone that is their superior, elder, or better. For example, a freshman student at a high school would use the sempai honorific when talking to a senior student.

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Kamiya Kasshin-ryū-This sword style was created by Kaoru's late father after ten years of work. It is a sword style that teaches how to protect others without killing them (i.e. using bokkens and shinais rather than swords) but as Kenshin points out, the style can be used with swords that can kill.

Raitei Shourai-God of thunder, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates lightning bolts that blast from his _jufu_ or the sky.

Jufu-a slip of enchanted paper that Syaoran uses, in conjunction with his sword, to use magic

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. (I could go in more detail as a gi isn't really a shirt in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

"that it is", "that he is", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

Suiryū Shourai-Water god, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates large amounts of water from his _jufu_.

Cardcaptor-Sakura is the Cardcaptor, meaning that it is her responsibility to recapture the freed Clow Cards and become their master.

Tomoeda-the fictional setting of Cardcaptor Sakura. It is near the city of Tokyo.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings, and when in that form, he can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is his master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Tomoyo-Sakura's best friend in the present. She helps Sakura capture the Clow Cards, although she has no magic of her own. When the two of them chase down Clow Cards, Tomoyo records Sakura with a video camera. She also creates a bunch of costumes for Sakura and Kero and encourages Sakura to pose after capturing cards, much to Sakura's embarrassment. Kero, however, loves being in the spotlight.

Li Meiling-Meiling is Syaoran's cousin. The two of them are childhood friends in Hong Kong. In the CCS anime (she didn't exist in the manga), she traveled to Tomoeda and helped Sakura, Syaoran, and Tomoyo fight and capture cards. She has no magic of her own, but like Syaoran, she is a martial artist.

Sakura's father-Sakura's father is a kind man whose wife died when Sakura was very young. He is an archaeologist and teaches at a university. Between being busy because of his job and his Type B personality, he is very lax about creating rules and upholding them within the household. In other words, Tōya and Sakura are allowed to do whatever they want as long as they complete their chores.

Tōya-Tōya is Sakura's biological older brother from the present. He often teases Sakura, calling her a monster for stomping around the house. Tōya is known for getting a lot of part time jobs and spending time volunteering. Throughout the manga/anime, Tōya often had jobs or volunteered at places that Sakura was visiting or capturing Clow Cards. This occurs so often that it is hypothesized that Tōya uses these jobs to watch over Sakura.

Wood-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura originally captured Wood in the present by using the Watery Clow Card. Sakura uses the Wood Clow Cards in a various ways including, cushioning falls, binding objects, and creating cages.

Kashin Shourai-Fire god, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates missiles of fire or small flames from his _jufu_ that are used to attack or illuminate dark areas from his _jufu_.

Fly-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Fly in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Fly's normal form is a giant bird. Sakura uses the Fly card to produce wings on her wand and fly on the wand. Sakura also has the ability to make the wings appear on her back instead of the wand, allowing her to use the wand for other magic.

Jump-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Jump in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Jump's normal form is a bunny. Sakura uses the Jump Card to jump to high elevations and avoid attacks.

Windy-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Sakura captured Windy in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Windy is the gentlest of all the cards. Windy has the power to control winds and can use these winds to bind objects or people.

Sakura's wand-Sakura uses a pink wand to direct her magic when capturing a Clow Card. When she is not using the wand, it transforms into a pendant that is shaped like a key. She must use a chant to release the wand from its key pendant form. When Sakura was transforming the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, the wand also changed. It became a Star Wand. In the Meiji Era however, the wand is in its original state and not a Star Wand.

Fukka Shourai-Petals of wind, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates winds from his _jufu_ that are used to send things flying or allow for brief levitation.

Glow-One of the Clow Cards. Glow was one of the two Clow Cards subjugated by Syaoran before he and Sakura reunited in the Meiji era. Glow has no fighting potential; it only can create floating light orbs that makes people happy. Glow's normal form is a female spirit that resembles a firefly.

Flower-One of the Clow Cards. Flower was one of the two Clow Cards subjugated by Syaoran before he and Sakura reunited in the Meiji era. Flower has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to create barriers made of flower petals.

* * *

For the sake of the story, I have stretched the CCS canon. While it is true that Syaoran can help defeat Clow Cards with his magic, he can't capture them. But to speed things along and to have Clow Cards to be defeated without Sakura present, I created a concept of subjugating the Clow Cards. Basically, if a Clow Card is defeated through magic or by defeating the person the Clow Card has possessed, the Clow Card stops causing trouble. It becomes docile and submissive to whoever defeated it, despite the fact that it hasn't returned to its card form. Sakura can then seal the Clow Card and make into its card form at a later time. For example, Syaoran defeats the Glow and Flower Clow Cards before reuniting with Sakura in the Meiji through his magic spells of fire, water, wind, and lightning. The Glow and Flower cards' normal forms are female spirits. Since Syaoran has defeated them, the two cards stop causing trouble and "follow" Syaoran around in their normal female spirit forms. Sakura then seals and transforms them into cards when she reunites with Syaoran. Make sense? I hope so. If not, contact me as this concept is important to the story.

Random comments on chapter (as if all of these author's notes aren't already): I think this might have been a bit confusing within the chapter so let me explain here. Syaoran has been searching for Sakura/Sakura has been missing for three months. Syaoran spends the first six weeks in the present and the last six weeks in the Meiji era looking for Sakura. How does Syaoran know Kenshin was Battōsai? That shall be revealed later. Much later. Don't expect something grand, though. Same with how Syaoran traveled back into the past. Profound, maybe, but not grand. I will use the explanation for both issues as an opportunity to make a good Sakura x Syaoran moment. At least I hope it will be good. (I haven't written it yet). I never thought Kero being unconscious was going to be important, but as I was typing up the chapter I realized it allowed me to create a fighting scene that only starred Sakura and Syaoran. Fitting for Syaoran's first appearance, _ne_? Sorry, Kero! Also, I hope this chapter supplied a good answer as to why Kero was teasing Kenshin about Kaoru, which is a bit OoC. He's asking for Sakura's benefit. He wants to learn more about human love so he can help Sakura with her feelings for Syaoran, because she was very confused and upset when Syaoran confessed his love to her. As you can no doubt already tell, the narration/POV for this story will primarily be Kenshin, Kaoru, Sakura, and Syaoran. Yahiko's POV was unusual and probably won't occur again. That's all this time around!

Hiya, yasha! Thank you so much for your kind words! That's fair enough. Haha, who doesn't like Kero-chan? I just wish I was able to give him a bigger role. I'm looking forward to hearing your opinions! :) Ah, it's very good to hear about pacing. I tend to get too focused on individual chapters that I don't pay much attention to overall pacing. Thank you for the review!

Next Chapter: Life at the dojo is much more tense as Syaoran settles down at the dojo. Kenshin's repeated attempts to reach the boy only end in disaster. A heart to heart between Kenshin and Sakura reveals that the both of them are experiencing… romance problems?

Spread the word about this story! Thank you so much for reading, everyone!


	7. Missing in Action!

Important note! As mentioned in the author notes a couple of chapters ago, there is something that I want to explain about the nature of Kenshin and Kaoru's relationship. In this story, I have erased a certain important person from Kenshin's past (I'm purposeless being vague to avoid spoilers for people unfamiliar with RK, however those familiar with RK should know which character I am referring to). I'm doing this for the selfish reason wanting to write Kenshin and Kaoru's budding romance as I progressed through the story. If you think that I'm losing an important part of Kenshin's character I'm sorry. I hope you can at least understand why I'm doing this, even if you don't like it.

If you are familiar with Japanese honorifics then you can skip over this section entirely and begin reading the story. There is an issue of what honorifics other people should use to refer to Syaoran. Since I feel a lot of people who read manga and watch anime know what honorifics are, I don't have honorifics in my dictionary. But for those who don't know honorifics, I will define the honorifics in question here.

Kun-used to refer to men or boys of the same age or younger who are familiar to the speaker

Dono-archaic word for the formal honorific san that was used by servants to address whomever they are serving. I have heard that dono is archaic even in Kenshin's time. My best guess as to why Kenshin uses dono is that he humbles himself so much that he serves everyone.

Sama-used to superiors to show great respect or admiration and often translated into English as lord. If a person uses it in reference to themselves, it conveys great arrogance; "my esteemed self" is what it would be translated into English

Surname-Unlike in America, it is common to call people by their last name. In fact, in CCS, for a long time Sakura and Syaoran referred to each other using their last name. In this instance using a surname instead of a name plus another honorific would be formal.

No honorific-Not using an honorific is a sign of great closeness between the person speaking and who they are speaking to; dropping the use of an honorific when not given permission is considered to be a great insult

Whew! Onto the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own RK or CCS. I did not obtain permission from their creators in creating this story.

* * *

CHAPTER SIX

Missing in Action!

Kenshin smiled to himself as he gazed out the window of his bedroom. _Just how many children will come under my care? First Sakura-chan…_ Kenshin smirked, _and Kero… and now Syaoran-kun…_

Of course Syaoran would never accept that Kenshin was responsible for him. For the past three weeks since his arrival, Syaoran had barely spoken to Kenshin at all, seemingly far more content with giving Kenshin nasty glares at every opportunity. Syaoran refused to stop calling Kenshin kidnapper despite Sakura's, Kenshin's, and Kero's admissions that Kenshin had not kidnapped Sakura or had harmed her. While this nickname upset Kenshin, it offered no end of amusement to Yahiko and Sano. Especially at meal times when Syaoran would snap, "Pass the salt, kidnapper."

And when Kenshin was cleaning the floor.

"You missed a spot, kidnapper."

And when Kenshin just happened to be talking to Kaoru alone.

"Stop flirting, kidnapper."

 _Between Kero and Syaoran-kun… I really have to wonder at Sakura-chan's choice in friends, that I do,_ thought Kenshin as he shook his head.

But what puzzled Kenshin the most about Syaoran, attitude and magical talent aside, was his ability to time travel from the future into this era. It was important to know, as it might offer clues as to how Syaoran, Sakura, and Kero could return to their original time. When Kenshin remotely broached the topic of Syaoran traveling through time, he barked, "None of your business, kidnapper!" and ran out of the room. If Syaoran wouldn't speak to Kenshin, then Kenshin at least hoped he would tell Sakura and Kero.

A knock resounded on Kenshin's door. "May I come in, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.

"Oro? Ah, yes, come in."

Opening the shoji door, Kaoru stepped into Kenshin's room. She wore her instructor outfit and had slung a bokken over her back, " _Ohayō_ , Kenshin. I know this is sudden, but after I teach Yahiko and work at the neighboring dojos, do you think we could go to the nearby river and talk? There's something I want to ask you."

"Ah, well… Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin hesitated, frowning. _Where is she?_ He thought.

Blushing, Kaoru corrected herself. "It's not like, you know, or anything like that. It's just that I wanted to talk to you about Sakura-chan at the river without Sak-"

"Go to a river? That's a great idea! We should make a picnic!"

Kaoru stiffened in surprise then she turned around to behold a smiling Sakura.

 _Called it._ Kenshin smiled to himself, amused.

"And, we should take Syaoran-kun, Yahiko-kun, and Sanosuke-san, and even Tsubame-chan! Nii-chanand I can make the food and we should bring blankets and we can soak in the sun and play in the water and this'll be so much fun! Oh, what's wrong, Kaoru onee-san?"

Although Kaoru had her back to him, Kenshin could sense Kaoru's eyebrow twitching. Kenshin had to suppress his smile as Kaoru tossed a knowing and annoyed glance back at him before turning to Sakura. "What are you doing wearing that?" Kaoru asked Sakura, neither answering Sakura's question nor agreeing to the idea of a picnic.

"Oh, this?" Sakura asked, pulling on the gi she was wearing. "I wanted to try on a gi and hakama that Yahiko and nii-chan wear. So I asked Kenshin for a pair of his clothes and put it on over my school uniform." Hiking up the too big hakama with sleeves that extended far past her hands, Sakura trudged into Kenshin's room. "I like them! They're easy to move around in." At that moment, Sakura stepped on her hakama and tripped. Kenshin caught her, then raised an eyebrow at her. "If they were my size, that is," Sakura amended. With a shake of his head, Kenshin released his grip on her.

Kaoru examined Sakura in her getup, a hand resting on her hip. After a moment, Kaoru sighed. "If we're really going to have a picnic, you and Syaoran-kun will have to get clothes of this time first."

Tossing her hands up in the air, Sakura cried, "Yay!" She walked over to Kaoru and threw her arms around her. "Thank you!" Kaoru patted her on the back until she let go. Running toward the door, Sakura said, "I'm going to tell Syao-"

Kaoru grabbed the back of Sakura's gi, stopping her before she fell. Sakura smiled sheepishly at Kaoru. "I'm… going to give these back now." Once Kaoru let Sakura go, Sakura left the room this time slowly, watching her feet and muttering, "Left then right, left then right…"

Kenshin stood up and ducked his head at Kaoru. " _Gomenasai_ , Kaoru-dono. This one knew she was coming, but he didn't want to interrupt you…"

"Yeah, I figured that out after she arrived." Kaoru sighed again before smiling, "It's all right. A picnic is a good idea. But I do have to talk to you soon." She nodded a farewell to Kenshin and began to head out the door. However, she paused with her hand resting on the door frame, hesitating. She turned to face Kenshin, a weird look on her face. "Are you going to be here when I come back?"

Kenshin blinked, confused as to why Kaoru felt the need to ask such a question. "Of course this one will. Where else would this one be?"

Kaoru's face fell. "Right, of course. Thanks. _Ja_." After waving, Kaoru left.

For a time after Kaoru left, Kenshin wondered why Kaoru seemed disappointed by his answer. _Have I offended her? Does she not want me here? Is that what she wants to talk about…?_ As Kenshin pondered these thoughts, he couldn't help but feel disappointed himself. _I enjoy being here with Tsubame-chan, Yahiko, Sanosuke, and Kaoru-dono…_

And though he was a rurouni, he found himself thinking, _I don't want to leave._

* * *

"This is stupid, kidnapper."

Kenshin sighed. "This one does not care how people view him. But if you continue to call this one 'kidnapper' in public, someone is going to get the wrong impression, that they are. This one is only trying to help you."

"Whatever, this one kidnapper."

Kenshin closed his eyes, biting back another an irritated exhale. _Someone needs to teach him Japanese. Might as well be me._ "This one's name is Himura Kenshin. 'This one' or _sessha_ is how… I…" Kenshin hesitantly using the word "I" to explain to Syaoran, "…address myself."

"Orou?"

Kenshin glanced up at Syaoran to see him grinning smugly. Clearly he didn't care to learn proper Japanese. Or he just didn't care to listen to Kenshin at all. _It's_ 'oro' _._ Kenshin thought, annoyed. _If you're going to mock me, at least get it right._

As Kaoru had suggested, Kenshin, Syaoran, Sakura, and Kaoru were in a clothing store in Tokyo. While Kenshin had Syaoran try on different sized hakamas, gi, tabi, and under kimonos to discover which would fit best, Sakura and Kaoru shopped for kimonos and the like. Syaoran could have used extra training outfits at the dojo, but Kaoru had felt it was fair to buy at least one set of clothes for Syaoran if she was going to purchase a couple outfits for Sakura. Currently, Kenshin and Syaoran were standing in a place designated for people trying on the store's clothes.

"There!" exclaimed Kenshin once he finished tying the hakama ties together. "You try."

Frowning, Syaoran picked at the ties around his waist, pulling on them until after a couple of tries, he had untied them. Kenshin watched him as Syaoran attempted to replicate Kenshin's handiwork by retying the hakama together. Syaoran successfully completed the first few steps, but then he confused the order of the remaining steps and ended up tangling himself in the ties. He glared at Kenshin as though it was his fault.

 _Ah, well. He's doing much better than I did on my first try._ Kenshin smiled to himself at the memory.

"You're laughing at me, kidnapper! And Sakura says you're nice."

"Oh! _Gomenasi_ , Syaoran-kun. This one did not mean to appear rude. This one was only recalling the first time he tried a hakama. He did worse than you did."

"Liar. And don't call me 'Syaoran-kun'. Only Sakura can call me that."

Gently taking the ties from Syaoran, Kenshin preformed the process of tying the hakama again this time going slower. "Do you prefer 'Syaoran' then?"

"No." He grinned, "You should call me 'Syaoran-sama'."

Kenshin shook his head. _This boy has just as much pride as Yahiko. And a touch of arrogance too, that he does._ "All right then, Syaoran-dono." Kenshin felt silly using the dono honorific for someone as young as Syaoran, but if it eased the tension between the two of them, then Kenshin was happy to oblige. Unfortunately, Syaoran only frowned further. Seeing his face, Kenshin asked, "What's wrong, Syaoran-dono?"

Bowing his head, Syaoran muttered, "Just call me Li."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow, confused until he realized that Syaoran must not know what "dono" meant. _So he will swallow his pride if it means that it'll make him appear to be a fool. Good. That's a hard lesson to learn in life especially for a child. What has he gone through in order to learn such difficult lessons about life? And yet… his inner child is still showing through by not humbling himself enough to ask me what dono means._ Kenshin smiled. _Li-kun reminds me of myself when I was his age._

"'Dono' is basically an old way of saying 'san', Li-kun," Kenshin explained, purposefully leaving out the fact that dono is what servants used when talking to their superiors.

Syaoran huffed, "Am I done now?"

Though Syaoran had yet to master the task of tying the hakama, Kenshin nodded. Kenshin could always help Syaoran with it at the dojo, which would allow more opportunities to understand Syaoran better and hopefully improve their relationship. " _Hai_. Let's go meet up with Kaoru-dono and Sakura-chan."

"Finally!" Syaoran cried, and began to change into his school uniform.

Just as Syaoran finished changing and was about to leave to go find the others, Kenshin stopped Syaoran. Kenshin placed his hand on Syaoran's shoulder and said, "Li-kun. This one can't understand how difficult it must be for you to be in a different and unfamiliar era. This one knows that you don't trust him yet but if there is anything this one can do for you, anything at all, please ask this one."

Syaoran paused, thinking. After a moment he faced Kenshin and with a piercing stare and asked, "Why? Why do you care? Why do you act so nice to others? Why are you a ru… ruonii?"

Caught off guard, Kenshin remained quiet for several seconds. _If he knows that I was a rurouni he must have been talking to Sakura-chan._ Kenshin examined Syaoran, trying to judge his feelings. _He really does want an answer, does he?_ "Well… in the past this one…" Kenshin hesitated, wondering just how much to tell Syaoran. "…this one did some terrible things. By helping others in whatever way possible, this one hopes he can repent."

"Hitokiri Battōsai," Syaoran whispered, his eyes narrowing.

Kenshin gasped in shock. _How does this boy from another time know…?_

"Sakura says you're her brother and the nicest person in the world," Syaoran continued, "but I don't believe her. You're not nice. That stupid smile of yours is fake. And your irritating politeness is completely bogus. While your saka… strange sword shows that you do want to change from being hitokiri Battōsai, if you're being nice to others hoping to be forgiven for being Battōsai, then you're just selfish!"

Flabbergasted, Kenshin stared at Syaoran. _Am I… really selfish in wanting repentance? But repentance is the only option for me! And being kind to others is a way of repenting… Still…_ Kenshin frowned. _…how did an eleven-year-old boy realize this when I have been a rurouni for ten years?!_

However, Syaoran wasn't finished. "I won't stop calling you kidnapper until you prove me otherwise! If you ever hurt Sakura in any way or make her cry, then I will never, never forgive you and you'll never see her again. Ever. So start being nice for real if you care about your 'little sister' in the slightest," sneered Syaoran.

It was as though Syaoran's words had stabbed Kenshin's heart. Syaoran could not have hurt Kenshin more if he had tried. Before he could halt his tongue, he retorted, "This one DOES care about Sakura-chan! She calls this one 'nii-chan' of her own will because this one has done everything he could to make her comfortable and happy in this time. It is what this one is willing to do for you as well, if you let him. And besides, it is impossible to separate being kind to others from this one's vow to repent, that it is!"

"Humph. Maybe. But you're still selfish, kidnapper," Syaoran crossed his arms.

Rubbing his forehead, Kenshin sighed. _Well, this is going just great isn't it?_ "Look, Li-kun, at the very least, this one truly believes that he is _sessha_ , that he does." explained Kenshin, trying another tactic to reach the boy.

Syaoran frowned, "Huh? Are you making fun of me?"

"Oro? Ah, _gomenasi_. _Sessha_ means 'this unworthy one'."

Syaoran paused for a moment, thinking. "So… Sakura's supposed older brother is someone who doesn't think they're anything special? You're even stupider than I thought, kidnapper. And I hate you." With that, Syaoran left, though his air of superiority still hung in the air like the lingering stench of skunk.

Kenshin buried his face in his hands. _What in the world will please this boy?_

* * *

"Ah! Yahiko-kun! Please stop."

"Why? It's fun!"

"Yahiko-kun, you should be nicer…"

"Why should I?"

"Y-Yahiko-kun!"

"I'm with the kid on that one, Sakura, Tsubame."

"Kero-chan!"

"BONZAI!"

"Ahh!"

 _Splash!_

Underneath the shade of a nearby tree, Kenshin lazily watched Sakura, Yahiko, Tsubame, Kero, and Syaoran play at the river's edge. At Kaoru's insistence, Sano was upriver fishing, hoping to catch something for their picnic and help pay back all the free meals he had at the dojo.

A part of Kenshin scolded himself for letting guard down so much. Over the years Kenshin had learned the hard way that at any moment a member of the Shinsengumi could attack, someone could recognize Kenshin as the hitokiri Battōsai and hunt him down for revenge, or, in recent months, a Clow Card could materialize and wreak havoc. But in the last two months Kenshin had resided at the Kamiya dojo, he had found himself, slowly and surely, not looking over his shoulder as much, not jumping at shadows real or imagined, relaxing the barriers around his heart… And it felt… it felt good. Really good.

Too good to possibly be true.

 _It can't last_ , Kenshin thought, wearily resigning himself to the inevitable. _I must never forget the gravity of my crimes as a hitokiri. I am a rurouni, one who helps others hoping for repentance, but I never stay in one place too long because of the eventual suffering and pain that follows me everywhere. While Sakura-chan is a blessing from the gods, it is my duty to bring her home in her time. As for staying at the dojo-_

Kenshin shook his head. He mentally began to defend himself, _Enough. What I said to Kaoru-dono when I first met her is true. I'm tired of wandering. So, so very tired. I've told myself all this a million times while traveling these past ten years. There no's harm in just… taking a break for a while. No one is going to die today if I take one nap._ His interior monologue didn't abate Kenshin's guilt or his doubts, however Kenshin resolved to sleep anyway. The reassurance Kenshin felt hearing the children playing happily lulled him to sleep.

"Kenshin?"

 _Mrgh?_ Who was interrupting the most peaceful rest he had in years? Kenshin cranked open an eye to behold Kaoru smiling down at him. _Now that's a face I wouldn't mind waking up to everyday,_ Kenshin thought with grin. _Whoa! That was WAY over the line!_

"Ah, sorry, Kenshin. I didn't see that you were sleeping." Kaoru paused as she took in Kenshin's face. "Is… is there something wrong?"

"N-No! There's absolutely nothing wrong with thinking something that's true. T-That is, this one means… Uh…" _Gah! Why did I say that aloud! What is wrong with me?!_

Frowning, Kaoru asked, "Are you feeling all right?"

Kenshin knew better than to answer that question. Who knew what he was going to say? Already his mind was supplying some answers that it had no business doing. Standing up in a vain hope of leaving his less than helpful thoughts behind, Kenshin asked, "Is there something you need, Kaoru-dono?"

"Uh… well…" Kaoru broke her gaze to stare at the ground. "I was hoping that now would be a good time to talk to you."

"Yeah?"

"…Yeah."

Kenshin blinked. "So what do want to say?"

"Oh! Um, I actually…" Kaoru blushed slightly, biting her lip. "…meant alone. You know, that thing we were talking about earlier."

"You mean talking to this one alone?"

Blushing more, Kaoru whispered, "…Yeah that."

In spite of himself, Kenshin laughed. Who would have thought Kaoru was as nervous when talking to each other as he was?

"Are you making fun of me?" asked Kaoru, her face only growing redder.

"Ah, no it's just…" _That you stuttering and blushing is really funny and cute?_ "…Never mind. Forgive this one. Let's go." Though clearly puzzled and embarrassed, Kaoru followed Kenshin's lead downriver. Once they were out of the children's range of hearing, Kenshin inquired, "What is one your mind, Kaoru-dono?"

Steeping her fingers, Kaoru lowered her head. "This might sound bad at first, but… let me finish, okay? I don't mean to sound accusatory in the least. I was just wondering how much Sakura-chan has told you about the… abilities of the cards. That tree…"

"Wood Card," corrected Kenshin.

"Wood Card, sorry. Well, that Wood tree thing destroyed the dojo and while it was able to fix it…" Kaoru sighed, biting her lip again. "I just want to know if there's any way we can prepare ourselves for the cards' attacks. Like some sort of thing that repels or weakens them or like a… magical barrier of sorts?" Kaoru raised a brow at Kenshin. "Ever heard of anything like that?"

Scratching the back of his head, Kenshin muttered, "Let's see… This one doesn't really know, Kaoru-dono. Sakura-chan hasn't told this one much about the Clow Cards. Honestly, her capture of the Sword Card was the first capture this one saw. She captured Windy, Fly, and Jump all on her own before this one met her."

Kaoru's face fell. In a monotone voice she said, "I see."

"You're worried about how dangerous the cards are," Kenshin stated, realizing the true purpose behind the conversation.

After a moment, Kaoru nodded. "I'm not just worried about myself, Yahiko, or the dojo, but for Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun and you…" Her blue eyes flickered up to Kenshin's eyes for a moment before looking away.

"It's just… magic!" Kaoru shook her head and threw up a hand in the air. "I don't know anything about it. It defies everything we know about the world. Things like gravity and that it takes years for trees to grow and possession is possible and who knows what else? I may be the assistant instructor of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū, but I can't…" Kaoru hung her head, her bangs covering her eyes. "I can't… protect anyone against something like that…"

"Oh, Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin breathed, a weird an unnamable emotion filling his heart. He placed his hands on Kaoru's shoulders and whispered, "This one will protect you."

Kaoru stared at Kenshin with a slight blush on her face and her mouth open slightly. But she didn't look away.

Neither did Kenshin.

And just as Kenshin should have figured, a loud cry rose up from downriver.

 _Ah, what am I doing?! I shouldn't force myself on Kaoru-dono!_ Kenshin abruptly let go of Kaoru and turned around, hiding how red his face was. _I mean, not that I was. Or was I? Did she think I was? I don't think I did… But did I? What exactly did I do?!_

When the first shout was followed by another sharper yell, Kenshin left Kaoru behind, running upriver. _Sakura-chan! Li-kun! Yahiko, Tsubame-chan, Sano!_ The sound of running behind him meant Kaoru was following him. "Sak-!" Kenshin started.

Walking up to Kenshin and Kaoru, Sakura smiled and waved. "There you are, nii-chan! I was getting worried."

Kenshin stopped dead in his tracks, his fists clenched at his sides. "Sakura-chan," he said, his tone a little sharper than he intended. "This one thought something was wrong. Don't yell like that again without a reason."

"Eh? Oh, sorry," shrugged Sakura.

"Not 'sorry' but 'I will not yell unless something is wrong and someone is in danger'. Understand?" Kenshin asked, his hands on his hips.

Scowling, Sakura kicked a foot. " _Hai_ …" When Kenshin continued to wait, Sakura rolled her eyes and muttered, "I will not yell unless something is wrong and someone is in danger. There."

Much to Kenshin's surprise, Kaoru giggled. She stopped upon seeing Kenshin stare at her in shock. "Oh, sorry. It's just that it's really unexpected for me to hear someone as patient and compassionate as you to take such an authoritative tone of voice."

 _She thinks I'm patient and compassionate? Heh, heh…_ However the sardonic part of Kenshin's mind thought, _Because the hitokiri Battōsai was so very patient and compassionate. No, but the rurouni is. …Neither of which is who I truly am_ ,a third side helpfully added. _Quiet!_ Kenshin told himself. _Kaoru-dono thinks well of me so let me enjoy it!_

Kenshin almost thanked Kaoru, when he realized his mistake. He turned his face away and murmured, "Well, on this one's journey he has found that when it comes to discipline her father is… lacking. So this one feels obligated to step up and do what's best for her. Even if this one isn't good at it."

"The streets are safe! In this time and in the present!" Sakura angrily retorted.

"No, they're not, Sakura-chan. Anything could happen."

"I don't have any money."

Sighing, Kenshin replied, "Robbery is hardly the only crime-"

"And I can sense Clow Cards. I have magic. Nothing can hurt me. At least not non-magical humans, anyway."

 _Oh yes, let's list what "non-magical humans" can do. Well, there's kidnapping, murder, assault, torture, slavery, exposure of your magic to the world, getting_ LOST _…_ Instead of voicing his thoughts aloud, Kenshin said, "Sakura-chan, the streets are dangerous."

"Are not."

"Are t-"

Kaoru laughed loudly, interrupting their argument. Once she composed herself, she grinned and waved her hand at them. "Well, the two of you can continue… discussing this as I set up things for dinner. _Ja_!"

It took every fiber of his being not to stare Sakura down because she was partly responsible for making him look like an idiot in front of Kaoru. "Sakura-chan… is there something that you want?"

Tilting her head, Sakura narrowed her eyes at Kenshin, deep in thought. She asked, "Are you feeling all right?"

After a moment, Kenshin sighed. He couldn't bring himself to lie to Sakura. "…This one is just confused. This one doesn't know what he feels."

"I feel like that, too…" Sakura muttered.

"Really?" Smiling faintly, Kenshin sat on the ground. He patted beside him as he invited, "Sit down." Sakura complied, resting her head on Kenshin's shoulder. "What's wrong?" Kenshin asked, wrapping an arm around Sakura's waist.

Sakura played with the grass for a while before answering. "…It's Syaoran-kun."

Kenshin hummed his understanding. _That boy has been causing trouble for everyone no matter how nice they've been to him._ Before the shopping trip fiasco, Kenshin had offered to mend Syaoran's green outfit he wore when a Clow Card attacked. It had been ripped and burned in the battle against Wood and Syaoran relied on those clothes to carry through fights with Clow Cards. Of course, Syaoran had refused, asking if Kenshin wanted to become a thief as well as a kidnapper.

Sakura explained her troubles, "Ever since Syaoran-kun found me, he's been following me around all the time. I don't know what to do. Like how every single morning when I wake up and leave Kaoru onee-san's room he's standing there waiting for me. Yesterday I was talking to Kaoru onee-san and I looked up to see Syaoran peeping over the corner staring at me. And a couple of days ago when I finished my bath, Syaoran was, again, waiting for me and he asked how the bath was!"

"D-Did he now?" Kenshin remembered that day quite clearly. Like any normal day, Kenshin was chopping a couple of more logs for the bathhouse, when he turned to find Syaoran standing behind him with an axe in his hand. For a second Kenshin had believed Syaoran was going to kill him for being "Sakura's kidnapper". Syaoran insisted on him doing the chore instead of Kenshin. When Kenshin politely told Syaoran that he would do it, but thanks for the kind offer, Syaoran kicked up such a ruckus that Kenshin was afraid Kaoru would come running. Throwing up his hands in the air, Kenshin acquiesced. Kenshin warned Syaoran that if he was going to use the logs to prepare the fire for the bath, then to make sure he didn't burn himself. Syaoran used his magic to conjure up a giant blaze in front of Kenshin. It scared the living daylights out of Kenshin and he fell to the ground on his butt. Syaoran stared down at Kenshin with a smug grin on his face and hefted the axe on his shoulder.

 _So it was for Sakura-chan all along… I don't know whether to think Li-kun is dangerous or creepy…_ Briefly Kenshin thought of Kero's reaction to this unusual situation. _Probably not happy. Not happy in the slightest._

Continuing her rant, Sakura huffed, "He's being weird! And I don't know what to do…"

"Well, Sakura-chan," Kenshin explained, "He's your friend, right? He's been searching for you for a long time so it's perfectly understandable that he wants to make sure you're all right, that it would."

"Yeah, but…" Sakura blew out her cheeks. "It's complicated."

Kenshin threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, is it now?"

Sakura nodded, solemnly. She turned to look up at Kenshin and asked, "And you?"

Ruffling Sakura's hair, Kenshin replied, "It's the same for this one. Why do you think matters between you and Li-kun are complicated?"

"Er…" Sakura squirmed, her face going a little red.

When it was clear that Sakura wasn't going to explain herself, Kenshin added, "Maybe Li-kun wants to tell you something. Or he's hoping you'll tell him something, _ne_?"

Blushing furiously, Sakura jut her head in the air and stammered, "I-I don't think that's it! You're completely wrong!"

 _Hit the nail on the head, that I did,_ Kenshin thought with a smile. However, his smile quickly disappeared when Sakura turned the question around on him.

"So why is it complicated for you? Is there someone you are having trouble with?"

"Er…" Hai _, that I am. I met someone who doesn't care who I once was. They only see the person I am trying to be. But it doesn't matter because I'm covered in blood and buried under the weight of my sins while she's innocent. And…_ "Sakura-chan… we've made some friends here, but…"

"…but by staying here we're putting them in danger. Someone may find out about your past or about my magic and then people will get hurt. I know. You've told me a million times already," Sakura sighed. She looked over to see Kaoru preparing dinner and the boys and Tsubame playing in the river. "…but… they look pretty happy, don't they? And Sanosuke-san and you are becoming friends so I know he feels the same way." Sakura stared at Kenshin with her deep green eyes. "We make them happy, _ne_?"

Unable to form an answer for Sakura, Kenshin only stared back, lost in the profoundness of Sakura's insight. _P-Perhaps we do, but… it is worth the danger? The pain? Would they be happier without us? I don't know…_

After a moment's reflection, Sakura commented, "I don't think magic can help us understand what we're feeling or what other people are feeling."

Suddenly, Kenshin was filled with foreboding. _No… there's no Clow Card of love or… heartbreak._

" _Minna_! Dinner's ready!" Kaoru called.

"Good talk." Kenshin helped Sakura stand. "If there's anything else you want to tell this one go right ahead, Sakura-chan."

Sakura nodded then stretched. "I think I'm going to take a nap once we get back to the dojo. I'm tired."

Kenshin watched Sakura stretch, frowning. On the night Syaoran arrived at the dojo, Sakura had slept in his bedroom on a separate futon. Clearly it seemed that Sakura's reoccurring nightmare was back in full force if she was still tired three weeks after the fact. _And such a horrible nightmare…_ Sakura had never related the full dream to Kenshin, but he could guess. She returns home in her time only to discover the dead bodies of family and friends, presumably dead because she was too late to go back to the future and save them.

Knowing there was little he could offer as way of comfort, Kenshin chose to use this opportunity to ask a question that had been bugging him for some time. "Sakura-chan, do you… do you know how Li-kun knew that this one was hitokiri Battōsai?"

"He does?" said Sakura in surprise. "I don't know. I could ask him if you want."

"No… that's all right. Thank you, though." _If he heard of Battōsai because the legends still exist over a hundred years in the future… then I don't want to know._

Laughing, Sakura ran ahead, heading towards where Kaoru, Syaoran, Yahiko, and Kero were waiting for them underneath a tree.

"Sakura-chan, don't run in your new kimono!" Kaoru cried. "You'll ruin it."

Kenshin watched Sakura reach the basket that held their dinner. Kaoru was smiling, passing out the food, while Syaoran and Yahiko bickered over something probably inconsequential. Tsubame tried her best to calm Syaoran and Yahiko down. All Kenshin could see of Kero was his tail pocking out of the basket as he snacked on the food ahead of schedule. And when Kaoru found out…

Kenshin smiled. _This one doesn't know what the future will hold, but… at least I can enjoy the present,_ ne _?_

* * *

Satisfied, Sakura rubbed her tummy. _I can never get tired of Ken-nii's cooking. But I wish we had some fish to go with it…_

Apparently, Kaoru felt the same and she was making quite a fuss over it. " _Mou_! I can't believe that Sano never even appeared, let alone catch the fish he promised to bring!"

"You mean the fish you made him get."

"Quiet, Yahiko!" Kaoru snapped. "After all the trouble everyone went through the least he can do is help out! Especially since he eats dinner at my house every single day. _Mou_!" repeated Kaoru in her irritation.

From upriver, Kenshin walked towards Sakura, Kaoru, Tsubame, and Syaoran. "This one can't find Sanosuke anywhere." Reaching the group, Kenshin stopped in front of Kaoru and apologized, "This one called his name many times, but Sano never answered."

Turning to Yahiko, Syaoran asked, "Do you think he ditched us and ran off to his gambling buddies?"

Yahiko rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Maybe. Although it isn't like him to miss out on a meal even if he had to help make it."

Inwardly Sakura agreed with Yahiko. In fact the whole situation was beginning to bother her. Kero, who was flying beside Sakura, said, "He eats even more than me! Of course, I outclass everyone when it comes to inhaling cupcakes."

"If I were him," Syaoran added, ignoring Kero, "I wouldn't have minded catching the fish if it meant a free meal."

Glaring at Syaoran, Kaoru crossed her arms. "Says yet another person who eats at my dojo without paying, Syaoran-kun."

"I would if I had money, but any money I would have would be from China and from the future. I doubt they would work in the past," Syaoran replied, his tone light. Under the weight of everyone's stares Syaoran flushed. "W-What?!"

"But, why?" Kaoru sputtered, amazed.

"Why?" Syaoran shrugged, "It's the right thing to do."

Ecstatic, Kaoru grabbed Syaoran's hand and covered them with her own. "Yes it is, Syaoran-kun!"

"Everyone call me Li please."

"Sure, whatever you want, Li-kun!" purred Kaoru.

" _Arigatō_. Kaoru-san." For some reason, Syaoran leaned over to the side so he could grin at Kenshin. Kenshin only frowned in response and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Teacher's pet." Yahiko glared at Syaoran.

Dropping his hands from Kaoru's grasp, Syaoran met Yahiko's stare. "You're the one who is her student not me."

"Yeah, why don't you join the dojo? You got a sword and everything."

"Well, that's because I'm not a swordsman…" Jutting his head in the air, Syaoran walked over to Kenshin. Unsure of Syaoran's behavior, Kenshin watched Syaoran with a quizzical expression.

Sakura stayed in the background, happily listening to everyone having a good time. When playing the in river earlier, Sakura was able to witness Syaoran opening up to Yahiko and Tsubame. And while he spoke to Kaoru and Sanosuke only when necessary and still called Kenshin kidnapper, over the past couple of weeks Syaoran seemed to have made friends with Yahiko and Tsubame. _Although Yahiko-kun and Syaoran-kun argue as much as they get along… but that'll stop in time! And Syaoran just proved to Kaoru onee-san and everyone that he really is a good person!_ Sakura smiled to herself. _I guess Syaoran-kun has learned just how nice everyone is!_ Sakura was so happy that she almost missed Syaoran kicking Kenshin in the gut.

"…I am an expert martial artist," Syaoran finished, tossing his head. Wincing, Kenshin bent over, holding a hand to his stomach.

Sakura gasped, "Syaoran-kun! Don't hit people! Especially nii-chan." Her reprimand, however, was overshadowed by Kero's boisterous laughing.

" _Hotaru_ …" hissed Kenshin. He straightened and glared at Kero.

Seeing Kenshin's glare, Kero immediately stopped laughing. "Ya are right, I guess. _Yare_ , _yare_ …" Kero flew in front of Syaoran's face until they were only a few inches apart.

"What are you…?" Syaoran started.

With a snap, Kero smacked Syaoran's nose with a hard flick of tail. Syaoran staggered back, hands clasping his bleeding nose and bemoaning Kero's actions. Kero flew to Kenshin. Crossing his arms, Kero nodded to himself as he said, "I agree with the red head on this one. Yers and Sakura's parents are lax and give yas too much freedom, magic or no. I don't know much about know much about parenting but now that they're gone I guess it's time I finally pitched in…"

Kenshin looked at Kero approvingly. "Glad you're willing to help sometimes."

"…because I don't want ta rely on red head all the time," Kero finished, shooting daggers at Kenshin. "This tail has yer name on it, too. And just ya wait ta see my super cool true form."

"Yeah, this one would like to see it," Kenshin smiled, but his tone was sarcastic.

"Grr…"

Getting over her shock, Kaoru cried, "Li-kun! I can't believe you just did that! That was horrible. And after you were being so nice! For the next week you are helping Kenshin cook all the meals, do you hear me?"

Syaoran opened his mouth to protest, surely Kaoru wouldn't expect him to work with the kidnapper, but a guilty look grew in his eyes. He bowed his head and muttered, " _Hai…_ "

Sakura watched the event play before her too shocked to speak. _Everyone's fighting with each other… Just when I thought everyone was getting along…_

Kero glanced at Sakura. As though he had read her mind, Kero reassured, "Don't worry, Sakura. This _is_ how we get along,"

Kero smiled, but it only discouraged Sakura more. _Why do people fight instead of being happy? There's nothing happy about teasing each other…_

"Uh… guys…" Yahiko said, obviously anxious. Turning around and scanning the horizon, Yahiko asked, "Where's Tsubame?"

Alerted to Tsubame's disappearance, Kenshin and Kaoru began to look around. "Maybe she went off to find Sano," suggested Kaoru.

With a sense of dread Sakura and Syaoran locked eyes.

"Clow Card."

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in order they appear within story):

Himura Kenshin-Kenshin is rurouni, a wanderer, and the former hitokiri Battōsai. He has unusual red hair and violet eyes. On the shorter side, at a glance Kenshin is often mistaken to be a woman. In addition, though he is 28, he looks about ten years younger. He learned his sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, from his master. When he was fourteen, he ran away from his Master to fight in the civil war, during the Bakumatsu, hoping to defend the weak. Kenshin joined the Ishin Shishi, who were determined to topple the corrupt Japanese government and bring equality to Japan citizens. Because of Kenshin's great skills as a swordsman and Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he became hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin fought for five years. Afterwards he disappeared and traveled Japan, becoming a rurouni. As a rurouni, Kenshin protected people with his sakabatō, but because of his bloody past, he never stayed in one place for long. Two months before he entered Tokyo, Kenshin met Sakura and the two began to travel together. Kenshin is a fictional character, but the history of the Bakumatsu and the Ishin Shishi are real.

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards as well as her magic wand to fight the rampaging Clow Cards.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings, and when in that form, he can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is his master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Li Syaoran-Syaoran is an eleven-year-old boy from Hong Kong. He is the youngest member of the Li family, a magical family that can trace its history all the way back to Clow Reed. In the beginning of the anime/manga Syaoran's arrogance caused a competition of sorts between him and Sakura to capture Clow Cards, however, as the series progressed, Syaoran began to respect and then love Sakura. While Syaoran has magic of his own and can use the Clow Cards he helped capture, because Syaoran is not the Cardcaptor, he cannot seal Clow Cards through his own power.

"that it is", "that he is", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Ohayō-good morning

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Onee-san-Older sister; the "o" attached to "nee" signals formality as well as the "san" honorific. Sakura refers to Kaoru in a more formal way because she doesn't know Kaoru as well.

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. Hakama have ties at the waist that are tied and act like a modern belt. To the sides there are large triangle shaped holes that show the gi underneath.

Gomenasai-Sorry, I'm sorry; a slightly formal apology used only with friends and family

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

Ja-See you later; shortened version of the expression _ja ne_

Rurouni-Rurouni is a made up term created from the words " _ru_ " which means to wander and " _ronin_ " or masterless samurai. (Note: Kenshin did have a Master, but he ran away to fight with the Ishin Shishi, cutting off all ties with him) After fighting for the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin traveled Japan for ten years as a rurouni. Carrying his sakabatō, Kenshin protected people, but he never stayed in any place for long. By helping as many people as possible as a wandering rurouni, Kenshin hoped to repent for the murders he committed as a hitokiri Battōsai. As a rurouni, Kenshin often masks his true feelings behind a smile or acting as though he is less skilled with a sword than he really is.

Tabi-Japanese socks that have a big gap between the first toe and the rest of the toes to allow room for the strap of a zōri

Under kimono-Light kimono wore underneath a regular kimono

Kimono-a long, loose robe with large sleeves that is tied by the waist with a sash, called an _obi_. Men and women can wear it. In this time, men can wear gis and hakamas instead if they were samurai, but women typically only wore kimonos.

Hai-Yes

Hitokiri Battōsai- hitokiri means assassin or literally manslayer. Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu technique, Kenshin's trademark attack. According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." During the Bakumatsu, Kenshin became an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. He was feared by all for his astounding swordsmanship abilities that allowed him to kill so many people. Many legends compare him to a demon. Kenshin fought for the Ishin Shishi for five years (ages 14 to 19).

Sakabatō-Kenshin's reverse blade sword. The dull side of the blade is where the sharp edge should be and vice versa. In this way, Kenshin can fight with a sword but not kill, only breaking bones instead. It is a symbol of Kenshin's vow never to kill again. Kenshin has carried the sakabatō for ten years as he traveled as a rurouni.

Shinsengumi-Military police force formed by the Japanese government in the Bakumatsu that was made up of skilled swordsman. They were Kenshin's strongest enemies.

Wood-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura originally captured Wood in the present by using the Watery Clow Card. Sakura uses the Wood Clow Cards in a various ways including, cushioning falls, binding objects, and creating cages.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Sword-One of the Clow Cards. It's normal form is a giant sword but it has also appeared as a sword pendant. Sword possesses its user, rendering them mute and unable to control or remember their actions. Glassy or empty eyes are a sign that a person has been possessed. Sword is said to be able to cut through anything. In battle, Sakura uses the Sword Card to cut things, including barriers.

Windy-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Sakura captured Windy in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Windy is the gentlest of all the cards. Windy has the power to control winds and can use these winds to bind objects or people.

Fly-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Fly in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Fly's normal form is a giant bird. Sakura uses the Fly card to produce wings on her wand and fly on the wand. Sakura also has the ability to make the wings appear on her back instead of the wand, allowing her to use the wand for other magic.

Jump-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Jump in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Jump's normal form is a bunny. Sakura uses the Jump Card to jump to high elevations and avoid attacks.

Kamiya Kasshin-ryū-This sword style was created by Kaoru's late father after ten years of work. It is a sword style that teaches how to protect others without killing them (i.e. using bokkens and shinais rather than swords) but as Kenshin points out, the style can be used with swords that can kill.

Ne-Right? Isn't it? When attached to the end of a statement, it turns it into a question. "Ne" asks for confirmation or agreement. It is used in situations in which the person speaking is asking if what they said was correct and/or if the person they were talking to agrees with what was said.

Minna-Everyone

Futon-Japanese mattress that is put on the floor and used as a bed

Mou-Geez; an expression of irritation

Arigatō-Thank you; informal expression of gratitude

Hotaru-Firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Yare, yare-Oh brother

* * *

Not a lot happened in this chapter, since it was mostly character development, but that's because it's a set up for the next chapter where Jin-e appears! Do Japanese stores of that time include areas to try on clothes like modern times? I don't know. I suppose I could have moved the conversation to the dojo, but that would have been a bit boring since everything happens at the dojo. At least, that was my thought process. For those unfamiliar with hakama ties and tying them, see the updated definition of hakama (and gi!). I have to admit Syaoran telling Kenshin off is one of my favorite scenes of the entire story. You're definitely going to see more tension between Kenshin and Syaoran in the future!

Hello, yasha! I'm so happy to hear you love this story. I hope that this chapter shows you (at least in part) that Syaoran isn't a mean hearted person, he just can't stand the thought of people hurting Sakura. Just know that you can read (and review if you choose to do so) at any time. :)

Next chapter: As Sakura, Kero, and Syaoran chase down the Clow Card, Jin-e, an insane hitokiri of the Bakumatsu, returns and kidnaps Kaoru! As Kenshin tries to rescue her, he feels his own sanity begin to slip…

Please read the next chapter as it is one of the best in the entire story (in my opinion, anyway). I promise that, while it has its share of similarities to the original, magic plays a dominating role in the chapter as Jin-e uses Clow Cards. Thanks for reading, everyone!


	8. The Blood of Hitokiri!

Sorry for the wait, everyone! I won't give excuses because I'm sure you don't want to hear them, but I try to get this out a bit earlier. At least I'm still in the promised 5-7 days range. The Jin-e arc in the RK universe was one of my favorite parts of the entire series, so I'm excited to present to you Kenshin and Jin-e's magical fight. I hope you enjoy it!

P.S. Just so you know, there is some language in this chapter. It's not as bad as it could be, but there is some.

Disclaimer: I don't own the RK or CCS series or the characters. So don't sue me please.

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Blood of Hitokiri!

Knowing there wasn't a moment to lose, Sakura released her wand and cried, "FLY!" The key shaped pendant grew, little wings appearing at the end. Without a moment's hesitation, Sakura and Syaoran jumped on and took off into the sky, Kero trailing after.

"Sakura-chan, _matte_!"

Kenshin shouted at Sakura to stay, but Sakura had to ignore him, even if it hurt to do so. _I can't let him help me this time. Not this card… Not this card…_

From behind her, Syaoran chanted, "Force, know my plight. Release the light!" Though Sakura didn't turn around she knew exactly what he was doing. Syaoran was calling upon his magical compass, _Rashinban,_ which he always kept within his Chinese magical combat outfit. Answering Syaoran's bidding, the compass created by Clow Reed began to glow. A beam of light emitted from the compass and shot towards 10 o'clock, pointing towards the location of the Clow Card. The one arm Syaoran had around Sakura's waist squeezed a little harder. "Let's go," Syaoran said in her ear.

" _Yoshi_!" Sakura tilted the wand in the direction of the light, picking up speed.

"Hey, don't forget about me!" Kero shouted, followed them.

After about ten minutes of flying in the direction the _Rashinban_ directed, the board began to glow again. Another light shot out of the compass. "Wha-What? There's two Clow Cards?!" Syaoran gasped. Hearing Syaoran's cry, Sakura slowed the wand to a stop.

"The new light is pointing in the complete opposite direction of da Clow Card! What are ya going ta do now, Sakura?" Kero asked. Sakura bit her lip. After thinking it over a moment, she pointed the wand in the direction of the first Card, urging the wand to fly again.

"But, Sakura!" Syaoran protested behind her. "What about the other card?"

"Even if I dropped you off back there, you can't seal Clow Cards on your own," Sakura replied. "Plus, there's a chance that this card's effects can become permanent if not sealed quickly enough, right Kero?"

Kero sighed, " _Aa_."

Confused, Syaoran questioned, "But isn't the other card in the direction of your precious brother? He's completely defenseless you know, Battōsai or not!"

"I agree with the kid on this one, Sakura," Kero said. "I have a bad feeling about this."

When Sakura closed her eyes the images of her friends appeared in her mind, Sanosuke, Tsubame, Yahiko, Kaoru, Kenshin… She gripped the wand tighter. _For their sakes… we must not lose!_

"We have to stop this card from going on a rampage!"

* * *

"Sakura-chan, _matte_!" Kenshin shouted.

But despite his cry, Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero flew into the sky, heading upriver. Watching their vanishing forms, Kenshin clenched his fists, biting back a curse.

From her place on the ground, Kaoru blinked in confusion. The blast of air from Sakura's takeoff had blown her off her feet. She turned to her head to see if Yahiko was all right, but she couldn't see him. "Yahiko…?" Had he chased after Tsubame on his own when they discovered she was missing?

"Blast!" Kenshin exclaimed. He ran past Kaoru, heading downriver. "Yahiko!"

"Wait for me!" cried Kaoru. She stood up and followed Kenshin.

Unfortunately after five minutes of calling Yahiko's name and receiving no answer, the realization hit both of them hard: Yahiko had disappeared. Just like Tsubame and Sano. Kenshin had slowed down and the two walked side by side in silence for a while. Neither of them knew what they could do to remedy the situation. Kaoru peered into Kenshin's face. _He's so pensive… and the look of guilt and anger in his eyes…_

" _Gomenasai_ , Kaoru-dono," Kenshin muttered. "This one should have realized that Sano and Tsubame were missing earlier."

"Stop that!" Kaoru blurted, angry. Kenshin stared at her in shock. "Stop blaming yourself for everything, Kenshin! You're not a god and this is magic we're dealing with here. You can't be prepared for everything that could possibly happen. You just can't. So stop beating yourself up over it! You're… you're worrying me."

"This one didn't realize that you…" He looked away, but after a moment he turned back to Kaoru. "This one is sorry he made you worry, that he is." He smiled.

"T-That's okay…" Kaoru stammered. _Oh why… why does my heart jump like that when he smiles at me?_

Kenshin looked down at his fist. "This one will definitely talk to Sakura-chan and get her to confess everything she knows about the Clow Cards. This one won't put you in all this danger without being prepared."

Kaoru sucked in a breath, surprised. _I didn't realize that he cares so much…_ Feeling happy enough that she could glow, Kaoru said, "Kenshin, everything will be all right."

Frowning, Kenshin whispered sadly, "How can you be sure? Where do you get your confidence from?"

Kaoru stopped walking, forcing Kenshin stop and turn to her. "Well, the answer's obvious." Kaoru clasped her hands behind her back and beamed at him. "You'll protect me! After all that's what you told me before, right? I believe in you."

"K-Kaoru-dono…" murmured Kenshin, his eyes softening. He blinked several times before he smiled gratefully at her, the first genuine smile that Kaoru had ever since grace his face. " _Aa_ , this one will protect you, that he will-"

Without any warning, a hand clamped over Kaoru's mouth and an arm wrapped around her waist. Before she could comprehend what was going on, she was jerked backwards in the direction of the river. Someone's insane laughter resounded through her head.

"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin screamed.

Kaoru's mind spun in a panic. _Oh my gods, someone's trying to drown me! Drown us both! But who? Why? Where did they come-_ Whoever had their grip on Kaoru jumped lightly backwards into the river and landed on something floating on the water. Kaoru glanced down. _A raft?_

"I see that this is your woman, Battōsai!" A man voice shouted in Kaoru's ear.

 _Battōsai?_ Kaoru thought. _Oh no…_ And then, _I am nobody's woman._

"Udō Jin-e…" whispered Kenshin, his eyes wide.

"I'm honored that you remember me. It has been a while. Ten years at least."

Gritting his teeth, Kenshin hissed, "Who could forget the hitokiri so obsessed with killing that he would kill his own comrades for fun?!"

 _Oh gods… this can't be happening… I'm being kidnapped by a sadist…_

The man that held Kaoru, Jin-e, laughed delightfully. "You flatter me! But I'm sad to behold you in such a sorry state. You, the greatest of the hitokiri of the Bakumatsu, have become a soft hearted rurouni carrying a sakabatō that can't kill anyone? Where's your sense of fun?"

Kaoru's toes curled with disgust. Kenshin would never kill people for the sake of killing, even when he was hitokiri Battōsai; he did killed because he believed in creating a new era full of peace!

"Fighting for my life against Battōsai… killing him…" Jin-e licked his lips. "It shall be the best killing. But first…" Jin-e tightened his grip on Kaoru, "Get mad! Go mad! Be mad! Turn back into your old self of ten years ago! Into the incomparably cruel hitokiri…"

Throwing an arm out to Kaoru, Kenshin yelled, "Jin-e, you monster!"

"If you want to save your woman, Battōsai…" Jin-e rested his head on Kaoru's shoulder. Giving a cry, Kaoru tried to jerk away, tears of fright pricking her eyes, but Jin-e had a grip of steel. He grinned, "…then follow the blood of the people you killed…"

 _What…?_ Kaoru examined Kenshin closer, trying to discern what Jin-e meant. Kenshin staggered backward, staring at his raised hand. Horrified, he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. _Blood? But I don't see anything…_

A sharp prick tore into Kaoru's side. "Say your good-bye now," he ordered, removing his hand from Kaoru's mouth. Warm blood slid down Kaoru's side.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru screamed.

But Kenshin was too focused on his hand to answer. With Jin-e laughing madly, Jin-e and Kaoru sped down the river, leaving Kaoru's hopes far, far behind her.

* * *

Sakura gave a small gasp as an icy chill shuddered through her. She threw a glance behind her shoulder. _Nii-chan…? Kaoru onee-san…?_

"Are you all right, Sakura?"

Startled, Sakura stammered, "I-I'm fine!"

Syaoran regarded her with suspicion, but said nothing more on the subject. Turning ahead, Syaoran walked forward. "Let's go then. We can't count on the stuffed animal."

"Hey, yes we can! Kero-chan is very reliable." cried Sakura, Syaoran's goading giving her the courage to catch up to Syaoran.

After about an hour of flying on the wand, Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero sensed the Clow Card's presence. The trio descended and began to explore the area. They left Tokyo behind and now they found themselves in the middle of a vast forest with little to see other than trees. Kero had flown on ahead, wanting to check out the area before Sakura and Syaoran did.

Scanning the horizon with her eyes, Sakura clutched her wand to her chest. _I never thought this card could have such a far reach. Last time it only affected those who approached it. Did it run away? Or could… could someone be controlling it?_ Sakura shook her head. That was impossible. No one in this time knew how to control magic, let alone believe in it.

Closing her eyes, Sakura bit her lip against the sadness she felt at the reminder of her time in the future. "Syaoran-kun…? How did you… how did you come into the past?"

Syaoran stopped walking. After few moments passed before he said, "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that. Let's just say that the method I used isn't something that's going to get us back into the future. I'll… I'll tell you more about it later.I'm really, really sorry, but I tell you later when… when the time's right." At his last statement, Syaoran turned around, searching Sakura's eyes to see if she agreed with him.

Sakura nodded. She trusted Syaoran with her life and knew that if he believed there was a good enough reason for not telling her, then she understood. However, now that Sakura had started asking questions about their time, like a crashing tidal wave she couldn't stop herself. She grabbed Syaoran's sleeve and asked, "How's my family? Is Tomoyo-chan doing well? How about Meiling-chan? What about all of our friends at school? Are they happy? Are they getting good grades? How did my family react to me being the Cardcaptor? They're not mad at me, right? Do they miss me?" Sakura sniffed as she whispered, "Do they… miss me like I miss them?"

"Yes…" Syaoran exhaled, frowning in sympathy. "They miss you very much. Your father was very surprised when he heard about your magical talents, but your brother seemed to have suspected it already. They were very supportive of me using my magic to search for you. All of our other friends are doing well, but they're worried about you."

Rubbing the tears from eyes, Sakura hiccupped, "I missed you too, you know. I missed you so much…"

Seeing Sakura's tears, Syaoran froze. Slowly, very slowly, he eased up the tension in his shoulders and stepped closer to Sakura, wrapping his arms around her. "It's all right. Because no matter what happens… I'm… I'm always with you. Whether we're together or apart."

"Really?" Sakura asked, hopeful.

"Really. As long as we still remember each other, and we hold those memories close to our hearts, then we'll never really be separated. At least, that's what my mother told me after you… after you disappeared."

Sakura hugged Syaoran tighter, never wanting to let go. She never wanted to experience the pain of separation from him ever again. _Is that the answer Syaoran-kun wants…? I don't think so because I don't want to be separated from my family and friends either… He wants something more…_

"I don't suppose you know why the Clow Cards are no longer Sakura Cards and the wand isn't transformed into the Star Wand?" Sakura shook her head at Syaoran's question. "And I assume you've already tried to turn the cards into Sakura Cards and it didn't work?"

" _Hai_."

"And the Kerberos hasn't said anything about it?" When Sakura shook her head again, Syaoran sighed. After a moment he began to tentatively patted Sakura's back. "It seems our best chance of returning home is to collect all of the Clow Cards. Once we have them all, we'll come up with a plan. Don't worry, we'll figure something out-"

"A-HEM!"

Sakura and Syaoran jumped apart, blushing madly. Kero, who had snuck up on them, growled, "Just what in Clow's name do yous think yous were doing?! I go off on a scouting mission ta see if there's any danger-we are chasing a Clow Card let me remind ya-and I come back to find the real danger is…" Kero flew into Syaoran's face, pointing a finger at Syaoran's nose. "… _you_!"

"Hey! I would never hurt Sakura!" Syaoran cried.

"K-Kero-chan…"

"What's gonna happen now?" Kero continued ranting, ignoring Syaoran and Sakura. "The next time I turn my back yas'll be married? Well, I won't have it! And before you, brat, even claim that what happens between ya and Sakura is none of my business, it is! Sakura is my friend and master. It's my duty ta watch over her and protect her. I forbid ya and Sakura from marrying anybody until yer…" Kero closed his eyes and rubbed his chin, thinking. Sakura and Syaoran leaned in, waiting for the answer even if the subject was embarrassing for them. "I'll say…" Kero said, "… about 267 years old. Yup, that sounds about right. And children when you're over a thousand."

"WHAT?!" Syaoran shouted. "Are you stupid or something, plush toy? People live to be a hundred at the very best!"

Kero shrugged. "Oh well. Not my problem."

"Are you even that old?" asked Syaoran, pointing a finger at Kero.

Frowning, Kero rubbed his chin. "That's a good question. Just how old am I…?"

Heaving a mighty sigh, Sakura left the two them bickering behind her. As Kero has pointed out, there were more important things to do. Behind her, she heard Syaoran's and Kero's cries telling her to wait.

When Kero and Syaoran caught up to Sakura, Kero informed Sakura, "I saw an abandoned cabin about up ahead that's full of the presence of a Clow Card."

Just as Kero promised, a small wooden cabin appeared past the next grove of trees. As the trio approached they could see the holes in the walls, the rotting floor boards, and the dozens of cobwebs in every corner. Sakura glanced at Syaoran. He nodded at her. _So he feels it too… that has to be where the Clow Card is._

After summoning up her courage and reminding herself that ghosts couldn't harm her with Kero and Syaoran by her side, Sakura stepped onto the creaking wooden boards. When nothing happened, she peered inside the open doorway. The eerie sound of a woman's laughing echoed. A giant grin appeared floating in the air, followed by a woman dressed in a jester's outfit. She held a cape that had Sanosuke's, Tsubame's, and Yahiko's shocked faces on it.

Sakura brandished her wand at the woman while Syaoran unsheathed his sword. "I've finally found you… Erase."

* * *

 _I'll show him the true meaning of Battōsai. Here I come!_

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūsōsen!" Kenshin screamed as he lunged at Jin-e, swinging his sakabatō in a series of fast strikes. Jin-e met the sakabatō blow for blow. Undeterred by Jin-e's parries, Kenshin continued to fight. Craning his head to the side, Kenshin dodged Jin-e's one handed flat thrust. Not missing a beat, Jin-e slashed his sword at Kenshin's chest, forcing Kenshin to jump back. _And… now!_ Knowing what was coming, Kenshin turned the sakabatō over in his hand and met Jin-e's downward strike with the bottom end of the sakabatō hilt. The shock of resistance from the hilt jarred Jin-e, leaving him vulnerable. _It's time to end this._ Lunging at Jin-e, Kenshin raised the sakabatō.

"Hehe…" Instead of attacking Kenshin, Jin-e lifted his sword hand over his head.

 _No…_ Kenshin watched horrified as he realized he completely read Jin-e's attacks wrong from the beginning. Behind his back, Jin-e dropped his sword into his other hand. Before Kenshin could react, Jin-e followed up with a stab at Kenshin's shoulder. Smiling, Jin-e twisted the sword before pulling it out. Crying in pain, Kenshin collapsed to the ground.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried.

Kenshin grasped his shoulder and felt the blood flow in between his fingers. _Blood…_ With his other hand Kenshin reached out and touched some of his blood that had sprayed onto the ground. _Just like the blood that covers me from head to toe… but is the blood on me really mine?_

After Jin-e kidnapped Kaoru, Kenshin stood at the riverbank slowly going into shock. He was completely covered in blood. Flashbacks of all the times his missions as a hitokiri tumbled through his mind, tripping over themselves in their haste to make Kenshin relieve all the gory details. He hadn't attacked anybody, let alone unsheathed his sakabatō, so where had all the blood come from? His mind had screamed, _This isn't possible. This isn't possible! This isn't possible!_

It was all Kenshin could do to not have a panic attack then and there. Not even Kaoru's desperate cries for help awoke Kenshin from his terror. Only after expending a tremendous force of will did Kenshin calm down enough to no longer see the corpses of his victims staring at him with soulless eyes.

 _Kaoru-dono!_

Remembering Jin-e's final words, Kenshin quickly spied a trail of blood on the ground and followed it upriver. Under the light of the full moon, Kenshin discovered Jin-e and Kaoru by an abandoned shrine in a forest near Tokyo. Thankfully, Kaoru appeared unharmed. _I will tear Jin-e apart for kidnapping her and making a fool out of me._

Quickly Kenshin and Jin-e had begun to duel. Jin-e relentlessly baited Kenshin, calling him weak, mocking his use of "this one" and the sakabatō. So consumed with anger with Jin-e for kidnapping Kaoru, Kenshin dropped using "this one" and returned to using first person as he had done in the past when he was Battōsai. Through it all Kenshin could still feel the blood on him, sliding down his arms, his back, his legs, in between his toes. And the blood Kenshin had followed to the forest where had it all come from? Who did it belong to? Was it really from… whom Jin-e had said?

"Wha…" Sitting up, Kenshin whispered, "What did you mean by the blood of the people I killed…? What is this blood that covers me?"

Seeing Kenshin struggling below him, Jin-e laughed. "What's wrong, Battōsai? After all, blood is a hitokiri's second skin."

Shouting over Jin-e, Kaoru asked, "What do you mean, Kenshin? The only blood that's there is the blood coming from your shoulder…"

 _What? But that's not possible… I can see the blood! I can_ feel _it on me! And yet Kaoru-dono wouldn't lie…_

Jin-e tilted his head towards Kenshin, the shadows covering most of his face. The moonlight glinted off his teeth as he smiled, "Going insane, Battōsai? Tell me… do you feel the thrill?"

 _G-Going insane? Oh my gods… oh my gods…_ Slowly, Kenshin lifted his hand from his wounded shoulder and examined it. With a start, Kenshin realized his hand was trembling. It took Kenshin another second to recognize that his entire body was shaking uncontrollably. _What's happening to me?!_

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried, her tone desperate. "Hang in there!"

"Feh," spat Jin-e. "Look at you quivering in fear like a worm. You still aren't the Battōsai. Not nearly. I could kill you so easily. And that would be boring." Jin-e swiveled his head to Kaoru. With a feral grin, Jin-e said, "I must make you more enraged…" With a wave of Jin-e's hand, Kaoru flickered and then began to disappear.

"KAORU!" Kenshin screamed.

Jin-e threw his head back and laughed. "Better watch out, Battōsai! In just two minutes your woman will be gone forever! Just like those kids and that spiky haired punk-"

Jumping into the air, Kenshin flew towards Jin-e and crushed his face with the sakabatō.

Jin-e staggered back a few steps. He coughed, "I never even saw…" A huge smile broke out on Jin-e's face as blood dripped out of the corner of his mouth. "So that's Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū…!"

"Shut up." Again Kenshin shook, but this time from rage. Pure hot rage. "Hurry up and strike so I can kill you and send your worthless existence to rot in hell."

Jin-e chuckled. "Ah, now that's so much better. All that's left is for you to turn that ridiculous sword around. Let's see if the rumors of your impossible strength and speed can hold up against the impossible reality…" Instead of using his sword, Jin-e clapped his hands. Fog billowed out of his sleeves, separating Kenshin from the rest of the world.

 _What the hell?_ Kenshin backed up a step. Yet again he found himself asking, _How… how is this possible?_

Jin-e voice echoed, "…that is, if you can remain sane." His laughter reverberated from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

The fog surrounded Kenshin, making it impossible to see anything besides a few feet around him. Kenshin's thoughts raced a mile a minute, his panic growing. _Where did this fog come from? How can I fight what I can't see? What do I do? What do I do?!_

A sharp laugh pierced the air as a sword flew at Kenshin. Instinctively, Kenshin dodged. "Die," a voice said in Kenshin's mind.

 _What…?_ Kenshin thought, confused. _Where did that voice come from-?_ Kenshin screamed as another sword stabbed his wounded shoulder from behind. Wincing, Kenshin grabbed the hilt of the sword protruding from shoulder. _It's slick with blood…_

"This is the blood of a young man you killed in Kyoto," another voice whispered in his head. "And now we will feast on your blood…"

Kenshin's eyes widened. _It's just like Jin-e said. It's… the blood of the people I killed…! Their ghosts…_ _they want my blood! They've risen up from my past and are using Jin-e to extract their revenge!_

 _All of my nightmares… they're coming true._

Kenshin tried to fight against his hysteria, but it was like trying to trap the water of a tidal wave inside a bucket. With a cry, Kenshin yanked out the sword and threw it to the ground. Blood poured from the sword, soaking the ground and staining it crimson. Maniacal laughter resounded through Kenshin's head.

Talking to the voice in his head which must have come from the sword, Kenshin cried, "All I've done these past ten years is try to repent! Why? Why isn't enou-?!"

Hearing a whistling noise, Kenshin jumped back, narrowing missing a third sword. "As if you could ever repent for the tsunami of blood you've spilt. No amount of 'good' deeds can ever replace missing, priceless lives!"

"But what else can I do?!" Predicting another flying weapon, Kenshin dropped to the ground and rolled, despite his wounded shoulder. A large knife hit the ground beside him, quivering with suppressed rage and hatred.

"You can burn in hell for eternity like the demon you are," the knife laughed.

Terrified, Kenshin shrank back. _This isn't happening… This can't be happening. I really have lost my mind._ He used his hand to brace himself on the ground, sending pain shooting up his arm and wounded shoulder. Kenshin hissed in pain, blinking back tears.

Three daggers ledged into Kenshin's back. "Aaaaahhh!" Shouting in anguish, Kenshin tumbled to the ground. He could feel his own heavy blood slide down his back, mixing with the blood of his victims.

A voice from the three daggers explained, "I am the woman whose husband and two sons you killed. Oh, how I've longed for the day I can make you experience all the agony I have felt through the years…"

"Hey! Wait your turn! He brought me in for torture!" a different voice cried from within the mist.

 _Torture? Oh gods, I'm sorry… I didn't know._

"And you were a spy and deserved it! I was one of few people who could be called his friend and what happened? I died because he left me behind!"

Images of all the people who were nice to Kenshin flashed through his mind, followed by their dead bodies. _I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…_

"That's nothing compared to all the people he killed that were just sympathizers to the shogunate. They were innocent!"

The names written in black envelops that Kenshin accepted when he was hitokiri Battōsai… Kenshin had always wondered why there were so many names. Now he knew. They were just ordinary people. People who might have given some money to the shogunate cause, or have been forced to shelter some soldiers rather than letting their family be killed or who had wanted to support the cause their family members and friends fought for. They weren't officials or politicians or people donating guns or ships to the shogunate as he had been told. Trembling, Kenshin covered his ears and thought, _Stop. Please stop. I don't want to know. I don't want to know. It hurts… It hurts so much… my heart is breaking…_

"You will never be accepted in this new era, demon of hell," the voices continued.

"Stop!" Kenshin cried, bending over slightly.

"You can never repent for your sins."

"Stop!"

"It would have been better for the world if you had never been born."

"STOOOOOP!"

Panting heavily, Kenshin curled up into a ball, not even caring about the pain his lancing through his back and shoulder. As he watched the blood pool around him Kenshin thought, _I'm going to die slowly, I know it._

The ghosts of Kenshin's victims materialized within the fog and encircled him, numbering in the thousands. They all chanted, "Die! Die! Die!"

 _But… but I don't want to die!_

Gripping his shoulders, Kenshin tried to reassure himself. _You're a hitokiri, always was and always will be. The people I killed thirst for justice, so I deserve to die in whatever manner they deem fit. This is the right thing to do. The ghosts of my past will keep on attacking from the shadows, wheedling at my life bit by bit until…_

… _I run out of time to save Kaoru-dono…_

 _Kaoru-dono!_

Kaoru's smiling face appeared before his eyes. The conversation they had earlier by the riverside replayed in his mind.

"Kenshin, everything will be all right," Kaoru said.

Frowning, Kenshin whispered sadly, "How can you be sure? Where do you get your confidence from?"

"Well, the answer's obvious." Kaoru clasped her hands behind her back and beamed at him. "You'll protect me! After all that's what you told me before, right? I believe in you."

 _Even if I was the hitokiri Battōsai, I have to live._

 _I have to live to protect Kaoru!_

Rising from the ground, Kenshin raised his sakabatō over his head. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Doryūsen!"

Striking the ground with the sakabatō, rocks and dirt blasted into the air, scattering in all directions. In the blink of an eye, the fog disappeared, the blood on the ground vanished, and the voices in his head were silenced. Out of the corner of his eye, Kenshin detected some motion. Moving faster than the eye could follow, Kenshin ran towards the movement and swung his sakabatō, knocking the figure to the ground. Kenshin pointed his sword at it, the sharp edge digging in and drawing blood.

"Nice try," Kenshin growled, all of his terror turning into fury. "But when I say I will kill you, you will wind up dead!"

Jin-e grinned up at Kenshin. "Greetings, Battōsai."

Kenshin snarled, "Release Kaoru-dono from your spell this instant or say goodbye to your head."

"You're too late, Battōsai. She's already dead. Dead and gone."

Gasping, Kenshin whipped his head around to the shrine. Kaoru had disappeared. Kenshin had run out of time. _Kaoru-dono… dead?_ "N-No…" Kenshin whispered. "That can't be…" But she was gone. There was no sign of her anywhere.

It was as though the world had shattered below his feet, leaving nothing to support to him. The sun had been extinguished, plunging Kenshin into icy cold darkness; darkness that promised Kenshin would remain in for an eternity. No matter how much pain he had experienced from the voices, this was a million times worse. He had promised to protect Kaoru, but instead an innocent woman died because of his bloody past. Kenshin would have gladly thrown himself into the hands of the spirits of his past if it meant Kaoru would still be alive. B-But…

 _How could Kaoru-dono just have disappeared? She had… died and I wasn't there to save her, or, or comfort her or hold her as she died… I'll never s-see her smile one last time… or tell her just how much she meant to me…_

Tears slipping down his face, Kenshin gripped the sakabatō hilt with two hands. "You bastard…" Kenshin raised the sakabatō over his head. Swinging the sword down towards Jin-e's neck, Kenshin screamed, "Damn you to hell!"

"NOOOO!"

A body collided into Kenshin's side, arms wrapping around Kenshin's arm. With a jerk, Kenshin stopped the sakabatō's descent. Almost too scared to look, Kenshin turned to see Kaoru. "Don't," she begged. "Don't become the hitokiri Battōsai for my sake." Tears spilled down her face, but she smiled as she wiped away Kenshin's tears. "I'm okay. I'm all right. I'm all right." She stroked Kenshin's cheek after brushing his sweaty hair aside. "I'm right here."

"K-Kaoru-dono…" hiccupped Kenshin. He soaked up the sight of Kaoru, breathed in her smell, listened to the melodic sound of her voice and desperately committing it all to memory so he would never lose her again.

Before Kenshin could say anything else voices cried out from the nearby forest, interrupting Kenshin and Kaoru's reunion. "Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Card!"

"You did it, Sakura!"

"Thank goodness. I was so worried we wouldn't make it time."

"Yeah, well with it runnin' all over ta forest like that… I just don't understand why Erase would be acting like this…"

"Hold on a second. I sense another card!"

"What? Where?"

In a flash, Jin-e grabbed his sword that had fallen to the side and lunged at Kaoru.

"Over my dead body!" Kenshin cried. He pushed Kaoru behind him while swinging his sakabatō at Jin-e, aiming for his neck.

"No!" yelled Kaoru.

"Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Card!"

Kenshin's sakabatō met Jin-e's neck and sliced through to Kenshin's shock, Jin-e's head remained attached to his body. Jin-e began to light up in different colors and patterns, before he collapsed into a blue rectangle. Sakura stood behind where Jin-e stood moments before holding out her wand.

"Are you okay, nii-chan, onee-san?"

"S-Sakura-chan…?" Kenshin whispered. All at once his exhaustion caught up with him, and he fell to his knees.

Kaoru knelt beside Kenshin. "Sakura-chan, thank goodness you're all right. But we have to hurry. Kenshin's wounded! And he keeps talking about blood covering him. Do you have something that can help?"

"I-I'm sorry," Sakura stammered. "But… there's no healing Clow Card."

"What happened?" Syaoran and Kero ran up to Sakura.

Turning to Syaoran and Kero, Sakura explained, "It was the Illusion Clow Card. It attacked Ken-nii and Kaoru onee-san."

"Li-kun! Kero! We have to help Kenshin!" Kaoru cried. "His shoulder and back…"

Sakura took a step towards Kenshin, but Syaoran held out his hand and stopped her. Syaoran walked up to Kenshin and, leaning in close, scrutinized his shoulder. After a moment, Sakura walked up behind Kenshin and inspected his back. Finished his examination, Syaoran stepped back. "I don't see anything. No blood, no torn clothes, nothing. You look fine to me." In a quiet voice, Syaoran asked, "Are you okay?"

Kenshin blinked. He turned to look at his shoulder and gasped in surprise. It was exactly as Syaoran had said. He touched his shoulder, only to feel no pain at all. _But the pain I felt earlier was excruciating… easily the worst I felt in years. And I don't feel the blood that was all over me…_

Kero flew over to Kenshin. "You can't fight an illusion from the Illusion Clow Card or get hurt by it. If you felt pain, then it was all in your head. You expected to feel pain so you did. If you expected to feel blood covering you then you felt it as though it was real. That's how Illusion works. But such a violent manifestation… what happened here?"

Seeing Kenshin's and Kaoru's confused expressions, Sakura clarified, "Illusion generally creates images of what a person loves or fears the most. It usually shows different things to different people but… Kaoru onee-san…" Sakura, Kero, and Syaoran shared a meaningful glance, then watched Kaoru suspiciously.

"Clow Card…" Kenshin muttered. It all made sense now, the light, the words of the ghosts, Kaoru disappearing. It was magic. Another one of Sakura's Clow Cards. He was so caught up in the moment that the thought had never occurred to him.

But why would the Illusion Clow Card show Kenshin Jin-e? After reflecting the events that happened, Kenshin began to understand. Jin-e was an assassin of the Bakumatsu, who even though the times had changed into the Meiji era he couldn't move beyond his past. He lived to kill others, spilling their blood. He attacked people that were close to Kenshin and kidnapped Kaoru. Jin-e was the manifestation of what Kenshin feared Kenshin was or what he could become. And all the words those ghosts of his past had hurled at him… they were all thoughts he had in the past, his doubts, his fears, his nightmares coming to life. He didn't know if the ghosts' accusations were true and he probably would never know.

 _If the hitokiri Jin-e kidnapping and hurting my friends and the ghosts of my past haunting me were what I feared the most, then what would I love the most?_ Kenshin wondered. Repentance. Acceptance. …Love. But those were abstract ideas that had no physical manifestation.

"But…Kenshin's okay, right? He's not hurt?" asked Kaoru. "And…" For some reason, she checked her side. "It's gone!" She beamed through her tears and cupped Kenshin's face with her hands. "Then you really are okay! I was so worried about you… _Yokatta ne_. _Yokatta ne._ "

As Kenshin gazed at Kaoru's face, he found himself thinking, _Or do they…?_ Hope began to rise within him, hope that he thought was long dead. And of course, for the millionth time his doubts came to crush his dreams. Kenshin gripped the sakabatō in a death grip. "But if Jin-e was real… this one… this one would have…"

Sakura smiled sadly, understanding what Kenshin was going to say. She pointed to the sakabatō. "At the end there, you attacked with sakabatō's dull side. You wouldn't have hurt him. So try not to let it bother you, okay? You kept your vow."

Syaoran crossed his arms. "You mean the vow that he won't kill anyone anymore, right?"

Kero nodded at Syaoran's question. Syaoran examined Kenshin, thinking hard.

Even if Sakura's words were true, Kenshin still was going to kill Jin-e when he thought Kaoru had disappeared forever and died. Nothing would change that. Kenshin held the blade of the sakabatō in his other hand and stared at it, lost in his misery.

Kaoru tentatively placed her hand on Kenshin's shoulder, wary of hurting him. "Thank you for saving me, Kenshin. Thank you so much…"

Kenshin raised his head to look at her. There was such sincerity in her eyes. Kenshin nodded. While Kenshin had been about to kill Jin-e, Kaoru physically restrained Kenshin, stopping him from transforming into a hitokiri again. Touching Kaoru's hand on his shoulder, Kenshin murmured, "No, Kaoru-dono. Thanks should go to you, that it should. Really, this one is so grateful…"

After a long moment, Kaoru lowered her eyes, blushing. Turning to Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero, Kaoru asked, "And what about everyone else? Are Yahiko, Tsubame-chan, and Sanosuke okay?"

However, Kero and Sakura were talking to each other. Kero whispered something in her ear while Sakura explained, "Just before I captured Illusion, we chased Erase here from another part of the forest. I captured Erase, so they should appear… where they first disappeared… Hoe?!" Sakura cupped her face in her hands and grinned. "Really?"

"I'm surprised that you didn't notice sooner," sighed Syaoran.

"I thought ya would of assumed she didn't know, kid," Kero said, "considering her ignorance of your feelings for forever. Of course, ignorance isn't a bad trait."

"What are you guys talking about?" Kaoru asked, completely baffled. She looked at Kenshin for an answer, but Kenshin only shrugged. He had no idea what the three of them were going on about. Knowing Sakura, it could be anything. She was the most excitable girl that Kenshin had ever met.

"We have to go then!" Sakura shouted, grabbing Syaoran's hand.

"Go? Why? We-ulp!" Syaoran's words died in his throat when he felt Sakura's hand close around his hand.

"Fly!" In an instant, Sakura's wand transformed and wing erupted from the end of the wand. Dragging a protesting Syaoran, Sakura leapt onto the wand and the two flew into the air.

"Ah!" Kaoru cried as gust of winds blasted her and Kenshin. Kenshin hugged Kaoru, ensuring they would stay on the ground.

" _Oi_! Wait for me!" Kero flew after Sakura and Syaoran.

Sakura waved down to Kenshin and Kaoru. "Rurouni Cardcaptor wins again! And don't worry about the others. We'll get them." As they disappeared into the dark horizon, she called, "Have a fuuuun tiiiime you twoooo!"

"Oro?"

Kaoru smiled, "Ah, now that sounds like the Kenshin I know."

Touched, Kenshin released the hug to see Kaoru's face. _She truly cares about me, that she does._ He whispered, "Kaoru-dono…" Gasping, Kaoru jerked up her head to stare at the sky. "What's wrong, Kaoru-dono…?"

Kenshin followed Kaoru's line of sight to see a small orb of yellow light descend towards them. Kaoru stood up and lifted her hand underneath it. "Don't touch it, Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin cried, standing up and reaching for her hand. "We don't know what-"

Gently, the light brushed against Kaoru's hand. She giggled. "It tickles. But it's so warm. It must be Sakura-chan's magic." Kaoru closed her eyes and blew the orb back up into the air.

Before their eyes, the sky erupted into a thousand different colored orbs, keeping the darkness of the night at bay. They swirled and danced about, moving a music that no one but them heard. And underneath the lights the entire field of grass burst into flowers.

With a slowly growing smile, Kaoru beheld the sight. Her eyes sparkled more than the glowing orbs, and her smile emitted more warmth and life than the flowers. Someone like Kaoru was magical indeed.

Over the ten years that Kenshin traveled Japan as a rurouni, Kenshin had met plenty of beautiful women. So why was Kaoru so… so captivating? _It's because has forgiven me and accepts me even though I was hitokiri Battōsai, seeing the man that I am and not the blood I've spilt. With her endless compassion and innocent trust she took in everyone at her dojo, a dojo which promotes the peace that I long for. Yes, she has a temper, and yes she can't cook or do chores, but it doesn't matter…_

Seeing Kenshin looking at her, Kaoru smiled. "Beautiful, _ne_?"

… _because she is standing right beside me, smiling at me even after all the pain she went through because of my past. That's what makes Kaoru-dono so breathtakingly beautiful._

 _So very, very precious to me._

Staring deeply into Kaoru's eyes, Kenshin intertwined his fingers with Kaoru's fingers. " _Aa_ , that it is," he answered her.

Kaoru gasped a little, blushing slightly, but she renewed her smile after recovering. Returning Kenshin's stare, she whispered, "I think so, too."

The two continued to gaze into each other's eyes, both knowing that neither of them were talking about the floating lights or the field of flowers.

* * *

"Ha! Got one! That should keep the Missie quiet."

Sano grinned to himself and held the squirming fish in his arms tightly, before he realized things weren't quite what they seemed. "Hey, hold on a second… why is it night? What happened? What the h-?!"

The fish smacked Sano soundly across the face.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in order they appear within chapter):

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards as well as her magic wand to fight the rampaging Clow Cards.

Fly-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Fly in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Fly's normal form is a giant bird. Sakura uses the Fly card to produce wings on her wand and fly on the wand. Sakura also has the ability to make the wings appear on her back instead of the wand, allowing her to use the wand for other magic.

Sakura's wand-Sakura uses a pink wand to direct her magic when capturing a Clow Card. When she is not using the wand, it transforms into a pendant that is shaped like a key. She must use a chant to release the wand from its key pendant form. When Sakura was transforming the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, the wand also changed. It became a Star Wand. In the Meiji Era however, the wand is in its original state and not a Star Wand.

Li Syaoran-Syaoran is an eleven-year-old boy from Hong Kong. He is the youngest member of the Li family, a magical family that can trace its history all the way back to Clow Reed. In the beginning of the anime/manga Syaoran's arrogance caused a competition of sorts between him and Sakura to capture Clow Cards, however, as the series progressed, Syaoran began to respect and then love Sakura. While Syaoran has magic of his own and can use the Clow Cards he helped capture, because Syaoran is not the Cardcaptor, he cannot seal Clow Cards through his own power.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings, and when in that form, he can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is his master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Matte-Wait

Himura Kenshin-Kenshin is rurouni, a wanderer, and the former hitokiri Battōsai. He has unusual red hair and violet eyes. On the shorter side, at a glance Kenshin is often mistaken to be a woman. In addition, though he is 28, he looks about ten years younger. He learned his sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, from his master. When he was fourteen, he ran away from his Master to fight in the civil war, during the Bakumatsu, hoping to defend the weak. Kenshin joined the Ishin Shishi, who were determined to topple the corrupt Japanese government and bring equality to Japan citizens. Because of Kenshin's great skills as a swordsman and Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he became hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin fought for five years. Afterwards he disappeared and traveled Japan, becoming a rurouni. As a rurouni, Kenshin protected people with his sakabatō, but because of his bloody past, he never stayed in one place for long. Two months before he entered Tokyo, Kenshin met Sakura and the two began to travel together. Kenshin is a fictional character, but the history of the Bakumatsu and the Ishin Shishi are real.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Rashinban-Literally means compass; It is a magical compass that is more similar to a board that was created Clow Reed. It was passed down through Syaoran's family. The Rashinban releases beams of light that direct the user to Clow Cards, however it does not point out the exact location of Clow Cards, only approximate locations. Syaoran uses the Rashinban to locate Clow Cards. When there is a lot of magical presence throughout the area, the Rashinban becomes useless.

Yoshi-All right!

Aa-an informal yes

Hitokiri Battōsai- hitokiri means assassin or literally manslayer. Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu technique, Kenshin's trademark attack. According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." During the Bakumatsu, Kenshin became an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. He was feared by all for his astounding swordsmanship abilities that allowed him to kill so many people. Many legends compare him to a demon. Kenshin fought for the Ishin Shishi for five years (ages 14 to 19).

Gomenasai-Sorry, I'm sorry; a slightly formal apology used only with friends and family

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

"that it is", "that he is", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

Bakumatsu-Before the Bakumatsu, the Japanese government closed its doors to foreigners and had three hundred years of peace. The arrival the American black ships carrying a message that the US wanted to trade with Japan forced Japan to realize how far behind they were. Some people believed for the sake of the country progressing, they had to open its borders, but others refused. This fight carried into the Bakumatsu. According to Rurouni Kenshin Restoration manga the Bakumatsu is a "fifteen year period between the arrival of the black ships at Japan and the Meiji Restoration… those wielding swords divided between the Tokugawa shognate forces and the Ishin Shishi (pro imperialist patriots) battled each other." Kyoto, the capital of Japan at that time, was were the battles were the fiercest and where Kenshin fought for a long time. While the Bakumatsu is a fifteen year period, it is important to note, that this time period wasn't completely filled with war. However, when Bakumatsu is mentioned in the story (or manga) it always refers to the war.

Rurouni-Rurouni is a made up term created from the words " _ru_ " which means to wander and " _ronin_ " or masterless samurai. (Note: Kenshin did have a Master, but he ran away to fight with the Ishin Shishi, cutting off all ties with him) After fighting for the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin traveled Japan for ten years as a rurouni. Carrying his sakabatō, Kenshin protected people, but he never stayed in any place for long. By helping as many people as possible as a wandering rurouni, Kenshin hoped to repent for the murders he committed as a hitokiri Battōsai. As a rurouni, Kenshin often masks his true feelings behind a smile or acting as though he is less skilled with a sword than he really is.

Sakabatō-Kenshin's reverse blade sword. The dull side of the blade is where the sharp edge should be and vice versa. In this way, Kenshin can fight with a sword but not kill, only breaking bones instead. It is a symbol of Kenshin's vow never to kill again. Kenshin has carried the sakabatō for ten years as he traveled as a rurouni.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Onee-san-Older sister; the "o" attached to "nee" signals formality as well as the "san" honorific. Sakura refers to Kaoru in a more formal way because she doesn't know Kaoru as well.

Tomoyo-Sakura's best friend in the present. She helps Sakura capture the Clow Cards, although she has no magic of her own. When the two of them chase down Clow Cards, Tomoyo records Sakura. She also creates a bunch of costumes for Sakura and Kero and encourages Sakura to pose after capturing cards, much to Sakura's embarrassment. Kero, however, loves being in the spotlight.

Li Meiling-Meiling is Syaoran's cousin. The two of them are childhood friends in Hong Kong. In the CCS anime (she didn't exist in the manga) she traveled to Tomoeda and helped Sakura, Syaoran, and Tomoyo fight and capture cards. She has no magic of her own, but like Syaoran, she is a martial artist.

Cardcaptor-Sakura is the Cardcaptor, meaning that it is her responsibility to recapture the freed Clow Cards and become their master.

Sakura Cards-After Sakura captured all of the Clow Cards, she transformed them into Sakura Cards. There is little difference between a Clow Card and a Sakura Card, but Sakura Cards only answer to Sakura, not Clow Reed or anyone else.

Hai-Yes

Erase-One of the Clow Cards. Erase's normal form is a woman dressed as a jester holding a cape. Erase has the power to erase people and objects. People that are erased by the Erase Clow Card have the potential to disappear forever if someone doesn't subdue Erase. When restored to life, people who disappeared don't remember vanishing. In battle, Sakura uses the Erase to make obstacles disappear.

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū-This is Kenshin's sword style. It is a defensive style, focusing on fighting multiple opponents at once and legendary speed. It's symbol/mascot is a dragon. Because Kenshin used Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū during the Bakumatsu, he became the hitokiri Battōsai and feared to be a demon.

Ryūsōsen-Dragon Nest Flash; It is an Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move in which the user unleashes multiple attacks and slashes directed at various places on the opponent's body. The speed of the attacks makes it difficult to counter, block, or parry.

Shogunate/Bakufu-the fuedal military dictatorship of Japan. During the Bakumatsu, the Japanese government, the shogunate, was corrupt. They employed the military police, the Shinsengumi, to keep order and fight the Ishin Shishi. As part of the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin fought against supporters of the shogun.

Doryūsen-Earth/Land Dragon Flash; It is an Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move in which the user strikes the ground with a sword, sending earth and rocks flying with enough force that it can knock out the opponent. It is one of the ranged attacks of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū.

Illusion-One of the Clow Cards. Illusion creates a vision based on what the viewer wants or expects to see, however in the CCS anime/manga it was most often used to show what a person feared or loved the most. In battle, Sakura has used Illusion to distract her opponents.

Yokatta ne-I'm happy for you

Oi-Hey

Rurouni Cardcaptor-a term that I created for this story. Within the story Sakura created the cute term. It can refer to Sakura and Kenshin collectively or their duty to capture the Clow Cards that are freed in the Meiji era.

Glow-One of the Clow Cards. Glow was one of the two Clow Cards subjugated by Syaoran before he and Sakura reunited in the Meiji era. Glow has no fighting potential; it only can create floating light orbs that make people happy. Glow's normal form is a female spirit that resembles a firefly.

Flower-One of the Clow Cards. Flower was one of the two Clow Cards subjugated by Syaoran before he and Sakura reunited in the Meiji era. Flower has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to create barriers made of flower petals.

Ne-Right? Isn't it? When attached to the end of a statement, it turns it into a question. "Ne" asks for confirmation or agreement. It is used in situations in which the person speaking is asking if what they said was correct and/or if the person they were talking to agrees with what was said.

* * *

Anyone who has concerns regarding Syaoran's character within my story, please read my reply to Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius below.

Credit goes where credit is due. My friend suggested the idea of expounding on the voices of ghosts of Kenshin's past. While the Illusion Clow Card doesn't speak, I think the voices help explain Kenshin's past and adds a lot of angst. As I was writing this, I kept on going back and forth between having Jin-e being a magician that used the Erase and Illusion Clow Cards, and making Jin-e himself an illusion. In the end I rejected the former idea because I would have had Jin-e using the Erase card for his Shin no Ippō technique and erase his oppenents will to move or fight. But this is too similar to the original, so despite having to make tweaks to the Illusion card, I went with the latter idea. I've made adjustments to the Clow Cards in the past, and, as this is a crossover between two very different series, I will probably be forced to make more tweaks in the future.

Hello, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius! May I call you Ai, as it says on your profile page that's what you want to be called? Thank you for reading this story and sticking to it, despite, judging by your profile and stories, it seems that you are more comfortable with Indonesian than English. And thank you for your honest review. I do not view your review as flame so all I ask is that in turn you please listen to what I have to say.

Yes, Syaoran has stayed for a while in Japan and is familiar with Japanese honorifics. I only meant that he didn't know what the "dono" honorific meant. As far as I am aware, dono is a really old and archaic honorific that is only used in specific situations, when a servant is talking to their master. I have heard before, but I have not had this confirmed by a trustworthy source, that dono is archaic even in the Meiji era. I was originally going to have Kenshin use the word "archaic" instead of just "old" when explaining what dono meant to Syaoran but I wasn't sure that an eleven year old would know that archaic meant really, really old. So I just have Kenshin say old. Because dono is an old word, I don't think it is used in modern Japan or in everyday conversation. (If I am wrong, then please let me know and I apologize for my mistake). At least, I have never read or watched any manga or anime that takes place in present day Japan that used the dono honorific. The only place I think of that used the dono honorific was in Inuyasha, but that takes place in the Feudal era, which is before the Meiji era, and was only used about two or three times. I explain this in part in the author's notes at the beginning of the last chapter, but I'm guessing that you skipped over that because it seems like you understand honorifics. As for Syaoran not understanding the other words Kenshin uses like oro, sakabatō, and rurouni, they are all made up words created by the author of RK and only apply to Kenshin so Syaoran wouldn't know them.

Syaoran is kind to the others staying at the dojo, except for Kenshin (see below). As Sakura thinks/narrates, at first Syaoran was shy and didn't talk to the others much, but now he has opened up to them. He says to Kaoru that if had some money he would give it to Kaoru to pay for him staying at the dojo, but he doesn't have any money. Hearing this makes Kaoru very happy. As for Syaoran and Yahiko arguing, they argue over things that aren't very important like normal prideful eleven year old boys. But underneath it all they are still friends and won't let a small argument ruin their friendship. However, because Yahiko doesn't have a big role in the story, this is hard to portray. I apologize.

What I was trying to portray with Syaoran is that towards everyone else he is the kind person of the ending of the CCS series, but when it comes to Kenshin he leans toward the more arrogant side of himself shown in the beginning of the series. Syaoran calling Kenshin kidnapper is childish, I won't deny it. Syaoran calls Kenshin kidnapper because of his animosity towards him. The question is why does he dislike Kenshin so much? In short, it's because Syaoran is jealous of Kenshin and blames him for not protecting Sakura while she was capturing Fly in Kenshin's hometown. He is jealous of Kenshin because while Syaoran is still waiting for Sakura to say she loves him, Sakura's love for Kenshin is obvious. It is implied, but not stated outright as I see it should have been, that Syaoran's line saying he knows what happened to Sakura in the village means that he blames Kenshin for Sakura being harmed. Even if Sakura sees Kenshin as an older brother and Syaoran wants to respect Sakura's wishes, this is a crime too great for Syaoran to overlook or forgive. Therefore he doesn't view Kenshin as Sakura's protector. I understand now that I should have emphasized this. Because of this, I have edited future scenes. As you'll soon start to see in the next chapter, deep down Syaoran actually blames himself for not protecting Sakura. However the thought that Sakura was hurt because he couldn't save her is too much for Syaoran to bear. So he takes it out on Kenshin and calls him kidnapper. Kidnapper, then, is a sign of that Syaoran cannot get over his dislike of Kenshin and blaming Kenshin and himself for what occurred to Sakura. Without such reasoning within the story itself, I understand why you questioned why Syaoran calls Kenshin kidnapper and dislikes him. As I said, because of this I have edited future scenes to make this clear. And eventually, as Syaoran grows towards understanding Kenshin, Syaoran will treat Kenshin better.

I do admit that Syaoran kicking Kenshin in the stomach was taking it too far for the sake of humor, and I will be more mindful of making Syaoran more mature as I continue to write. But not too mature, seeing as he and Sakura are still just eleven year old kids. I also admit the whole stalker part was mostly just for humor and won't appear again in the story. It was more of way of showing that Syaoran is obsessed with making sure Sakura is always nearby and won't disappear on him again after them being separated for so long. In hindsight, I should have had Kenshin explain this to Sakura in the conversation. In no way does Syaoran mean for him following her to be putting pressure on her, but that's how Sakura takes it. Sakura knows that she has to answer Syaoran about their relationship at some point, but because she doesn't know how she feels about him just yet, any meeting with Syaoran makes her a little nervous. Hence Sakura talks to Kenshin about it. Sakura can't come right out and say what she is really asking advice for because she doesn't want Kenshin to know that Syaoran confessed his feelings for her (it's too embarrassing for her). Again in hindsight, I guess little of this was able to come across to readers…

Ai, I hope that my explanations were clear, and they helped you understand why I did some things in the story. It is my hope that you will continue reading my story, especially the next chapter, if only to see how your review has helped me get a stronger grasp on Syaoran's character and how Syaoran blaming himself and Kenshin is explained. However, not everything I explained about Syaoran's feelings will be in the next chapter, because that's too much for one chapter. What I don't cover will be addressed later. If you have any other questions, comments, or concerns about anything in the story contact me through PM or a review and I'll be happy to help. Thank you.

Hello, yasha! Yes, you can leave reviews on your phone along with reading stories. It must really stink to have your computer frying! I hope it can be fixed. Originally I was going to leave it as just "pass the salt, kidnapper", but then I came up with more so I added it. Ah, it seems I might have confused you… Syaoran traveled back to the past using a different method than Sakura and Kero did, but that method can't be used to bring them back to the present. Hopefully this chapter shed some light on that and cleared things up a bit. What I meant in the author's notes was that how Syaoran traveled to the Meiji era is profound, but not like a big plot twist or something. Regardless, does Syaoran's method offer clues about how they can ultimately return home or how they came to the Meiji era in the first place? …Not really. Sorry about that!

Next chapter: When Sakura learns that Kaoru is experiencing financial problems, it's Sakura, Kero, and Syaoran to the rescue! As tension between Syaoran and Kenshin continues to rise, it's up to Kenshin to try to reach the boy.

Thanks for reading, everyone! It's not that long until part two (which I'm sure all of you RK fans can guess what that covers!)


	9. The Future Foretold! Part One

Hello, everyone. I have some good news and some bad news. Let's get the bad news over with first. I'm really sorry, but due to you guys catching up to the latest chapters that I have written for the story and life circumstances, until further notice I'm going to be posting this story once a week on Wednesdays. I was going to give you a warning that this might happen in the last chapter, but I thought I still had some time to write more to the story and then… my grandmother died. I didn't know her well personally, but the entire family is going to be spending more time with my dad to try to lift his spirits in the upcoming months. Please understand.

And the good news: This chapter has had several scenes deleted or edited so I decided that once I'm done writing and posting the story, I will post a bonus chapter that will contain these scenes. As I continue writing, I hope there will be even more scenes for you to enjoy.

A quick explanation on why the chapter says "part one". Originally the events of the two chapters were all going to be in one chapter, but then I kept on adding scenes and changing them so I had to split it into two. The next two chapters are filler chapters, but they have important character development, foreshadowing, and some humor. And oh, just FYI the chapter title refers to the next chapter, not the events of this chapter. I was going to come up with another chapter title, but my brain is fried right now. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own the RK/CCS series nor did I ask permission from their creators to write this.

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Future Foretold! Part One

Whistling a tune quietly to herself, Sakura padded down the empty halls of Kaoru's house. Her stomach growled, starling Sakura. Grinning, Sakura dug into a small bag she brought with her and retrieved a bunny shaped rice ball Kenshin had made especially for her. As she munched on it, she continued to walk towards Kenshin's bedroom, where Kenshin and Kero slept.

Ever since the Jin-e incident a two weeks ago, Sakura had frequently slept in Kenshin's bedroom in hopes of at least easing the nightmares that plagued him. She didn't see Illusion's visions personally, but, knowing Kenshin and his past, she had a very good idea about what they were. _I just have to remind him that the past doesn't matter! Over and over and over again…_ Sakura frowned, reflecting on all of her attempts to cheer Kenshin up and he brushed her off. _I don't seem to be helping much when it comes to his past… and I just can't figure out why! He helps me understand Syaoran-kun, but I can't do a thing for him when it matters the most…_

Sakura shook head. _Like Tōya onii-chan would say, taking care of Ken-nii is a full time job! Or make that a two dozen part time jobs._ Sakura giggled at the thought, then began to choke. Because Sakura was gagging, she almost missed hearing a voice. _Who would be up at this late hour?_ she wondered, swallowing the last of the rice ball properly this time.

Tiptoeing, Sakura crept down the hallway with bedrooms on either side, waiting to hear the voice again. A faint muttering and shuffling came from Kaoru's bedroom. Peering into a crack between the shoji doors of Kaoru's bedroom, Sakura saw Kaoru. She was sitting at a writing table next to her futon, papers scattered everywhere. Scratching her head, Kaoru sighed in frustration. She laid down a paper she had been reading and buried her face in her hands.

"No matter how many times I go over it, I just can't see it… how am I supposed to have enough money to for five people staying at the dojo and Sano and Tsubame eating over here regularly?" Kaoru picked up another paper on the floor, muttering, "If I ask for a raise or advancement of my pay at one of the other dojos I teach at how much would that be…?" She read over the paper before putting it down again. "No, no it wouldn't be enough in the long run. Not by a long shot. I have enough for the next tax collection, but after that will be a struggle…"

 _Not enough money…?_ Sakura thought, concerned. _Oh no…_ Learning that Kaoru was experiencing trouble because of her and the others caused Sakura to feel guilty. _The thought never even occurred to me… what does that say about me?_

Kaoru sat in silence for a while, staring at nothing. Her fist slowly clenched into a fist, balling up a bill, as she whispered, "Kenshin saved me from Jin-e, so the least I can do for him is support him. He's counting on me." Grabbing another pile of papers and reading it, Kaoru chanted, "I want him to stay. I want all of them to stay. No matter what happens." Though Kaoru had a determined set to her jaw, Sakura saw tears well up in Kaoru's eyes.

Listening to Kaoru, Sakura was reminded of the night she captured Erase and Illusion. Kero explained to Sakura about Kenshin and Kaoru's feelings for each other when Sakura was, according to Kero, "too dense to recognize it even after they were staring at each other like there was no tomorrow". Upon hearing the news, Sakura was ecstatic. Determined to let them have the best night possible, she had flown away on her wand, bringing Syaoran and Kero behind her. She begged Syaoran to use his Glow and Flower Clow Cards for Kenshin and Kaoru. After clasping her hand over his, he agreed. Sakura had hoped the magic made the night unforgettable for Kenshin and Kaoru, and not just because they were attacked by Erase and Illusion.

If Kaoru thought Kenshin was counting on her… would she try to help Kenshin with his past?Would she try to make him happy like Sakura does? _I bet she will._ Sakura smiled at the thought. _It's good to know that someone else cares about Ken-nii, especially since he's been alone as a rurouni for so long and I won't always be with him on his travels._

Sakura froze. _That's right. If I leave for home, I won't ever get to see him again. Or Kaoru onee-san and the others… I want to go home, but… not at the risk of never seeing all of them again!_ Biting her lips against the tears that threatened to fall, Sakura dashed down the hall.

 _In whatever time I have left in the Meiji era, I must do all I can to make Kenshin, Kaoru, and everyone happy here at the dojo!_

* * *

"Lemonade stand?"

" _Hai_! Don't you think it's perfect, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura smiled, clapping her hands together and tilting her head to the side.

"Uh… sure?" Syaoran scratched the back of his head, less enthusiastic than Sakura had hoped and far more confused. "Where did you get the idea?"

"I remembered Eriol and I were talking about it once," Sakura answered, referring to their British friend in the future. "Eriol told me of a time when he visited America and saw a little boy selling lemonade, trying to raise money. I figured since the boy was American and this is the past, doing a lemonade stand here would be a new idea that would be a big hit!"

Kero crossed his arms and frowned, deep in thought. "Remember, this is the Meiji era. There aren't many ships to import foreign fruit, and they probably don't have fruits available out of season. They may not have lemons here."

"Well, we can't find out what we can use just standing around, so let's go!" Sakura grabbed Syaoran's hand and headed towards the kitchen and Kero, as always, trailed after.

With Kaoru teaching as a guest instructor at another dojo, Kenshin shopping, Yahiko working at the Akabeko, and Sano, who was supposed to be protecting them, napping, it was the perfect opportunity to start Sakura's project. Like Kero predicted, no one could find any lemons, but they did discover a replacement. As Kero and Syaoran puzzled over how to turn the fruit into juice without any modern kitchen tools, Sakura entered the shed, searching for something suitable to make the stand. After selecting some boxes and letting Kero write the sign, Sakura helped Syaoran make the lemonade with the fruit. A couple hours later they had finished. Sakura and Syaoran took a step back from their completed work to admire it. The stand sat just outside the dojo gates, the ink gleaming in the sunlight. A giant sake bottle filled with juice and several cups waited to be served to others. All that was left now was some customers.

Sakura sat on a box behind the stand with Syaoran beside her. Kero hid in Sakura's school hat that was on her head even if it didn't match the kimono she wore. Not that it mattered. No one came. After a half hour of silence between the three of them, Syaoran began to practice his martial arts. Watching Syaoran was interesting, however she had seen all of his moves before and quickly grew bored again. With summer coming and the juice sweet and cool, it should have been the best time to drink it. _So why isn't anyone here?_ Sakura thought. With a sigh, Sakura rested her head on her arms and closed her eyes.

"May I have a glass please?"

Gasping, Sakura sat up straight. " _Hai_ , of course you can-" Sakura opened her eyes to behold Syaoran standing in front of her, sweat sliding down his face. Seeing the disappointment in Sakura's slumped form, Syaoran apologized. "It's all right, Syaoran-kun." Sakura poured herself and Syaoran some juice. They drank it quietly, neither of them looking at each other. After one sip, Sakura frowned. _It's really sweet…_ Rather than dwelling on the possible cause, Sakura set the glass down.

Yawning loudly, Kero lifted up Sakura's hat. "Sakura, kid, you're putting me to sleep. You're both acting like the zombies I beat up in Tōya's video games." Sakura and Syaoran began to blush and looked anywhere but at each other. Kero sighed, "Children, I tell you. If yas can't even hold normal conversations then how can yas expect ta be in a real relationsh-never mind. Uh, m-moving on! Sakura, why are we doing this? Why do ya want ta raise money?"

"I, um…" Standing up and resting her hands on the stand, Sakura cried, "A customer!"

Syaoran and Kero turned to look down the path. When they saw a figure approach them, Syaoran did a fist pump while Kero scrambled to hide underneath Sakura's hat. Sakura inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. She had only said that to get Kero off her back; she hadn't actually seen anyone. Merrily, Sakura waved, chirruping, "Welcome to our stand-" Upon seeing who it was, Sakura dropped her hand and all the enthusiasm she had. "Oh, it's you." Humphing, Sakura rested her head on her hands and scowled. Besides her, Syaoran did the same.

"Oro?"

"Go help Sakura and I and find some real customers." Sakura turned her head to Syaoran and gave him a disapproving look.

Ignoring Syaoran, Kenshin hefted the tofu basket in his hand and tried to read the sign, but only a few of the Japanese symbols were recognizable. "What does it say?"

"Orangeade," Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero answered.

"O…Orangeade? What in the world is that?!" Kenshin asked, so confused that his expression was almost comical.

" _Oi_! Kenshin, wait for me! Not everyone in the world is as fast as you." Groceries in hand, Yahiko ran up to Kenshin. "Oh, Sakura, Li. What are you-" Spying the sign, Yahiko tried to read it but only a few of the Japanese symbols were recognizable. "What does it say?"

"Orangeade," Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero answered.

"O…Orangeade? What in the world is that?!" Yahiko asked, so confused that it made Sakura, in her frustration, want to scream.

Exhaling, Sakura poured a cup of juice and shoved it towards Kenshin and Yahiko. "It's juice! It's completely natural and yummy. Drink it!"

"Don't mind if I do." Everyone turned their heads to see Sano leaning on the wall boarding the dojo, looking like death had visited him while he slept.

"Someone shouldn't stay out so late drinking with his friends," muttered Kenshin.

Sano jabbed his finger at Kenshin, "And someone shouldn't conspire with a little girl who broke my beloved zanbatō!" Sakura sighed, upset that he was still bringing that up. Didn't he know that if Sakura could fix it she would have done so already?

In a common occurrence of belittling Sano's intelligence, Yahiko replied, "One has nothing to do with the other."

Indigently, Sano countered, "It's a judgment of character." Kenshin sighed and shook his head. Turning to Sakura, Sano said, "Are you going to give me a cup or not?" Smiling, Sakura handed Sano the cup of juice. Everyone watched as Sano chugged it down. He paused. Making a noise, Sano spat out the juice, spraying the ground. "UGH! What is this stuff?!" Kero began to explain, but Sano cut him off. "It's too sweet!" Sano cried. "It's sweeter than your grandmother's perfume or a first kiss on Tanabata!" Sakura and Syaoran gaped at Sano in horror.

Smirking, Yahiko wise cracked, "Sano must really want a girlfriend."

"Yeah," Kero agreed. "Or to smell his grandmother's perfume." They snickered then shared a high five.

"Um, Sano…" Kenshin started.

"I mean, really, what did you do?" Sano continued. "Pour bags of sugar in it? At that point why not just give it to all the pink bunnies in the world so they can crap rainbows?"

Sakura felt tears well up in her eyes. Pink _… bunnies_?

"Sano, stop!" Kenshin cried.

"You know what it looks like? It looks like someone who ate too much carrots peed in it! It's the most disgusting thing I ever-oh…" Sano stopped his rant when he saw Sakura's face. "Er, um, I'm sorry. It's, uh… not that bad." Syaoran glared at Sano while Kenshin face palmed.

Sakura turned to Kenshin, her eyes pleading. "It's not that bad… right?"

Kenshin lifted his head to see Sakura watching Kenshin very intently. "Oh, uh… This one doesn't know…"

Besides Sakura, Syaoran reassured, "Of course, it's not that bad, Sakura! So we might have used too much sugar, but I think it's great! Especially since you made it."

"But I want nii-chan to think so, too." In the edge of her vision, Sakura noticed Syaoran's eyes darken at her words. _But why would he be upset? Of course I know that Syaoran-kun and Kero-chan like it. I just want people from the Meiji era to enjoy it, too! So why…_ Shaking her head, Sakura filled another cup of juice and offered it to Kenshin. Still pleading, Sakura repeated herself, "It's not that bad… right?"

Sweating, Kenshin tried to mask his obvious unease with a smile. "U-Uh… This one bets it's really good. This one is sure it is." Again, Sakura shoved the cup in Kenshin's direction.

Putting his arm around Kenshin's shoulder, Sano goaded, "Come on, Kenshin. A little kid's dreams are riding on this." Kenshin stared at Sano in warning. Sano quickly let go of him.

Sighing, Kenshin reluctantly accepted the cup and took a tentative sip. Grimacing, Kenshin said, " _Aa_ , it's good."

Seeing Kenshin obviously struggle to take even on sip and covering it up with a lie, angered Sakura. "So good that you'll drink it all… RIGHT?" she demanded.

Kenshin gulped. He stared at the juice that sloshed in the cup. It stared back at him. After a moment he inhaled sharply, psyching himself up. Then he tossed his head back and downed the entire cup in a couple swallows. Sano and Yahiko watched in awe and amazement. Once finished, Kenshin gasped several times. He covered his mouth with his hand, hiding his expression for a moment. Plastering on the fakest smile in all of history, Kenshin beamed, "Sakura-chan, that was the best drink this one has ever tasted in his entire life!"

Silence.

 _After all the hard work and hopes I had of making Ken-nii and Kaoru onee-san and everyone happy…_ Upset, Sakura nabbed the giant sake bottle full of the juice and splashed Kenshin and Sano with it. "See if I ever help you and onee-san get together ever again!"

"Oro? Kaoru-dono? Get together?!"

Sano furiously wiped his eyes. "Ah, it stings!"

"Ah, Sakura taking some initiative." Kero cheered. "I applaud ya!"

When Sakura began to storm off to the dojo, Syaoran cried out, "Sakura, wait!"

But it was Kaoru's voice that stopped Sakura. "What are you guys doing?" she asked, as she walked her way to the group. "Are you guys chugging sake at midday?" Spotting the stand and the sake jugs, Kaoru exclaimed, horrified, "Sakura-chan, Li-kun, are you selling sake?!"

Pivoting on her heel, Sakura returned to her place behind the stand. "No, it's juice. In fact, Ken-nii told me he thought it was so good, he wanted to drink some with you later. Alone."

"Alone?" Kaoru raised her eyebrow at Kenshin.

For a brief moment, Kenshin narrowed his eyes in annoyance at Sakura. This ploy was the latest in a string of things Sakura thought Kenshin and Kaoru should do alone since Erase's and Illusion's capture. It seemed Kenshin didn't appreciate Sakura's efforts to make them happy together and for the life of Sakura she couldn't figure out why.

When Kenshin noticed Kaoru was giving him a suspicious look, Kenshin raised his hand behind his head and laughed, "Ahaha… she has an active imagination, that she d-" Sakura cleared her throat loudly and crossed her arms. "Uh…" Kenshin stammered. "This one… means _u-un_! This one thinks we should, don't you, Kaoru-dono? Aha… ha, ha…"

Sano jeered, "That's stuff is comparable to the Missie's cooking."

"Yeah, let her have a taste of her own medicine," Yahiko added, snorting.

"Some alone time that would be!" laughed Kero.

Kenshin fixed all of them with cross looks, shutting them up.

"Ah, come on, Kenshin, don't be that way. Tell the truth now." Slinging an arm over Kenshin's shoulders, Sano asked loudly, "Do you want to know what Kenshin really thinks, Missie? He said that it was the most disgusting thing he ever tasted!"

"Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted, turning to him with her hands on her hips. "That's awful!"

Before Kenshin could defend himself, Sano gripped Kenshin's shoulders with his hands. He had a giant grin on his face as he accused, "After Sakura, Li, and Kero worked so hard on it, Kenshin said it was so bad that if she gave it to bunnies they would turn pink and crap out rainbows and, and… butterflies! And it tastes like pee!"

Kaoru and Kenshin gasped in horror. Recovering from her shock, Kaoru glared daggers at Kenshin. Kenshin raised his hands in the air and denied it, declaring, "This one would never say such things!" When Kaoru took a step towards him, Kenshin shrugged off Sano's hands and whirled to face him. "Sano, how could you say that? You're the one-" Kaoru grabbed Kenshin's collar and pulled on it. Grinning, Sano put his arms behind his head and whistled innocently.

"What did you say?" Kaoru hissed in Kenshin's ear, her voice low and threatening. When Kenshin only smiled helplessly at her, Kaoru glanced at Sakura and Syaoran for confirmation.

After a moment of mulling the situation over, Syaoran admitted, "He did lie to her."

All eyes turned to Sakura, waiting for her answer. Sakura bit her lip in thought. The very notion that Kenshin, a person she trusted dearly, would lie to her was devastating. Even if he thought it was for her benefit, Kenshin should know better than to lie! Sano was unjustifiably being mean in teasing Kenshin, but all of the people to support her… "He did," Sakura said with a frown. Sano and Yahiko had to cover their mouths to keep from laughing.

Angry, Kenshin glared at Sano. He moved towards him, saying. "Sano! This one has had done nothing to you-Ow!" Kaoru whacked Kenshin's head with her bokken. Grimacing, Kenshin rubbed his forehead and gazed at Kaoru, silently imploring her to understand his point of view.

At the same time, Yahiko and Kero burst out in laughter. Sano smirked at Kenshin. "That's for making a comment about me drinking in front of the kiddos. I got an image to maintain for them to look up to, you know. And when it comes down to it, you're the one who cut my zanbatō into two." Kenshin sighed and shook his head.

Kaoru smiled, "Now I know the real culprits…" Kaoru brained Sano and Yahiko with swings of her bokken and knocked Kero out of the air by descending her fist onto Kero's head.

"Hey, _busu_! I didn't do anything!" Yahiko cried.

"Yeah, _busu_! I happen to like orangeade!" Kero added. "In fact, I was da one who added all that sugar in it!" Everyone turned to Kero. Under the weight of their gazes, Kero shrunk into himself. "One can never have too much sugar…"

Sakura stared down at Kero with her hands on her hips while Syaoran crossed his arms. "Kero-chan!" admonished Sakura. "You should have asked first! We could have made two kinds of orangeade if you wanted it that sweet!"

"I didn't think of that…" Kero muttered. "Sorry, Sakura…"

Disappointed, Sakura sighed. "So much for the stand," said Syaoran, shaking his head.

Kaoru turned to Sakura and offered her hand to her. "Poor Sakura-chan. Why don't we have some girl talk together, okay?" Sakura smiled and accepted Kaoru's hand. It was good to know that no matter what happened, even if Kenshin lied to her, Kaoru would be on her side. Over her shoulder Kaoru called, "Kenshin, you got dinner to make."

Sighing dejectedly, Kenshin answered, " _Hai_ , Kaoru-dono…"

"You just got beat out by Sakura, Kenshin," grinned Yahiko.

"And Li-kun," Kaoru continued, "You're helping him."

Syaoran exhaled, throwing his head back. "Why, Kaoru-san? I was the one helping Sakura since the beginning."

Turning around Kaoru explained, "It's because I want this whole calling Kenshin 'kidnapper' business to stop. It's gone on long enough. Everyone has told you that Kenshin didn't kidnap anyone. He's the one who saved Sak-"

Clenching his fists, Syaoran cried, "Don't! Don't even say it!" Shocked by Syaoran's angry outburst, everyone stared at Syaoran.

"But Syaoran-kun…" murmured Sakura. "It's the truth." At her words, Syaoran shook his head venomously. _Why don't you think…? Don't you believe Kero-chan and I?_

"You didn't save Sakura!" shouted Syaoran, looking directly at Kenshin. "You let her almost get killed! While I was traveling Japan in this time, I found the village that Sakura had captured Fly in. I talked to some of the people who tied her up and locked her away. I listened to them speak of how they, they wanted to…" Syaoran's voice faltered, as his eyes became cloudy.

 _Oh, Syaoran-kun… I'm so sorry._ Seeing Syaoran in so much pain because of her past mistake, Sakura ran up to Syaoran, intending to give him a hug. But just before she raised her arms, Syaoran straightened, regaining his composure.

Oblivious to Sakura beside him, Syaoran shook his head and clenched his fists. "And even though this was the first time I had a lead, Sakura was already gone. She was taken from me and kidnapped by someone from the village. The same village that did this to her. I didn't know if Sakura was cold and hungry, or lonely, or still hurt or even if she was alive!" Syaoran lifted his head to stare at Kenshin. "And when I finally find Sakura, who do I find is her kidnapper?" Pointing at him, Syaoran shouted, "A murderer!"

"S-Syaoran-kun…" Sakura mumbled, her shock numbing her in place.

Kenshin lowered his head and folded his hands over his stomach. In a quiet voice, he whispered something to himself. It sounded like "…the real reason…" He exhaled before lifting his gaze to meet Syaoran's eyes. "Li-kun, this one is truly and deeply sorry for not arriving in time to save Sakura-chan. You may not believe this one, but he has regretted it every single day since, that he has."

Syaoran crossed his arms and stared at Kenshin, clearly unconvinced. "B-But, Syaoran-kun!" cried Sakura, placing her hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "He's not Battōsai anymore. He's my nii-chan!" It broke Sakura's heart to have to explain this Syaoran, who should have understood. _But if I just explain it to him, maybe he'll understand…?_

After a long moment, Syaoran inhaled a deep breath before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Sakura. I know how you feel. But I can't. I can't forgive him. I won't forgive him. You were hurt so badly and they were going to…" Syaoran glared at Kenshin and cried, "The kidnapper isn't worthy of calling yourself Sakura's brother!" With that declaration, Syaoran ran into the dojo.

Everyone watched Syaoran's retreating form in a dazed shock. Sakura remained behind the stand, her hand still outreached to touch the shoulder that was no longer there. The warm beneath her fingers had suddenly disappeared. And just like that Sakura's joy vanished.

Sakura could hear the others discussing the situation, though the voices sounded as though they were meters away. "Kenshin…" Kaoru breathed. She walked up to the group as she said, "I'm so sorry. I didn't think he would react like that."

Sano frowned, "What's up the kid? Kenshin, it ain't your fault for not being there in time to help Sakura. You didn't even know of her existence before then!"

"Exactly." Yahiko placed his hands on his hips and huffed, "It doesn't make any sense at all. And Battōsai or not, your sakabatō and vow show that you're trying to make up for it."

Kero crossed his arms in thought. "It seems ta me that the kid is having a hard time adjusting. He's been traveling in the Meiji era by himself fer a long time and is confused…"

Moving her fists up and down for emphasis, Sakura cried, "Y-Yeah! Syaoran-kun is a really good person! One of the best! He's very kind and sweet and-"

Giving Sakura a small, reassuring smile, Kenshin interrupted Sakura. "This one knows, Sakura-chan and no one thinks differently either. We all have seen just how much he cares about and how much he has sacrificed to find you."

"R-Really?" sniffed Sakura. She glanced at everyone's faces, searching for verification. They nodded at her. Releasing a breath she didn't know that she was holding, Sakura murmured, "Good." She happened to glance down at Kenshin's gi and saw it was a little wet, the result of her hasty actions. "I'm sorry, nii-chan, Sanosuke-san for splashing the orangeade on you…"

Sakura's apology was cut off as Kenshin threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, Sakura-chan, you needn't feel sorry for being a child! Besides," Kenshin quirked the corner of his lips in a rare, silly grin, "…it felt kind of good actually." Turning his head to look over his shoulder, Kenshin asked, "Right, Sano?"

"What, who me?" When Kenshin raised an eyebrow at Sano, Sano smiled, "Yeah, yeah. He's right, Sakura. Just forget about it. I'd rather have it dumped on me than have to drink it-" Noting Kenshin's glare, Sano hastily corrected, "But I'm sure that's just me."

Sakura gave them both her sweetest smile, happy to be surrounded by people who understood and forgave her so easily. Taking Sakura's hand once again, Kaoru said, "Come on, Sakura-chan. Let's go do something fun." However, Sakura hesitated.

A light touch on her shoulder caused Sakura to jump. Sakura turned to see Kenshin smiling down at her. "Leave Li-kun to this one. This concerns the two of us, so please, let this one talk to him. Everything will be all right, you'll see."

Sakura's eyes widened at Kenshin saying "everything will be all right." _My invincibility spell… how long has it been?_ Her sadness forgotten, Sakura nodded. " _Un_. Thank you!" Kenshin seemed a bit baffled by the sudden change in Sakura's mood, but he returned Sakura's nod.

Behind them, Kero spoke up his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Red head…" Everyone turned to him. "Fer what happened ta Sakura… I don't blame ya."

Kenshin blinked. Once he recovered from his surprise, a genuine smile graced Kenshin's face. The sight warmed Sakura's heart, giving her hope. _If Ken-nii can be happy despite all that's happened to him, then Syaoran-kun can, too. I just have to trust nii-chan to him._

After waving good bye to everyone, Sakura followed Kaoru onto the Kamiya grounds. Kaoru lead Sakura to the bedroom they shared and slid the shoji door behind them closed. Sitting across from Sakura, Kaoru exclaimed, "Well! Let's talk of other things, shall we? Sakura-chan, it seems like you're trying to raise money. Why? Is there something you need?"

Kaoru's question reminded Sakura of the reason why she, Kero, and Syaoran had created the orangeade stand in the first place. Uneasy, Sakura fidgeted. "I just want to help someone…"

"Help someone, eh? Hmm…" Kaoru grinned, leaning forward to cover Sakura's hands. "I have the perfect idea!"

* * *

 _*Huff… puff…* *Huff… puff…*_

 _As though I could outrun what I had heard, I am heading towards the scene of the crime. But still the words… they echo through my head._

"She's a yōkai or demon or something. Forget waiting to have a stupid trial. Everyone knew she was guilty."

 _How could anyone think the kindest, sweetest, and bravest person in the world could be a yōkai or demon?! She's guilty of nothing! You're the real criminals! They're insane! All of them! To think she was here all this time stuck in this place all this time… No! I can't afford to think about that now. I have to continue moving forward! It's just ahead, I'm almost there. I'm coming for you! This nightmare will finally end very soon… and we'll go home together. Just like I promised, I'll protect you._

 _*Huff… puff…* *Huff… puff…*_

"Unfortunately, she's long gone by now. She must have used her yōkai powers to escape with that Himura. Beating her into a bloody pulp wasn't enough. Now everyone in the village lives in fear of her returning to destroy the village. After all, she killed Hiroshi and injured several others besides. We should have killed her when we had the chance."

 _Oh, please… after everything we've been through, after all these hard months of searching for you, after all the blood, tears, and sweat shed by everyone you love you have to be alive! I have to find you! Forget their pack of lies, you just have to be there! I've come so far, I just can't give up… hope…_

 _Arriving at the cabin, I peer in. Though it's dark and I can barely see anything, the light of the dying sun reflects the dark substance staining the floor and wall. As the sight forever sears into my heart and soul I fall to my knees. I'm so sorry..._

 _It's all my fault, it's all my fault. Forgive me…_

 _Sakura… please don't be dead…_

"Syaoran-kun?"

"H-Huh?" Jolted out of reverie, Syaoran looked around in horror. The suffocating air of the cabin still gripped him so it took several moments before he realized where he was.

"Are you okay?" someone asked in a whisper, placing their hand on Syaoran's shoulder.

"I…" Syaoran turned his head to side to see Sakura watching him. Seeing Sakura at all made joy blossom in his chest. Even though quite some time had passed since Syaoran had discovered the Kamiya dojo and Sakura, he still found himself thanking the gods that he had found her. _It's not a dream… she's really here right beside me…_ As Syaoran watched Sakura, he noticed Sakura was frowning, concern creasing her cute face. The thought that Sakura was upset because of Syaoran, reminded him of that time… An all-consuming wave of guilt coursed through him, choking off any reassurances he was about to offer.

Sakura only deepened her frown. She was about to press the issue when the woman who was next in line stepped up to the stand Sakura was sitting behind. "A-Ah, hello!" Sakura greeted the woman. She slipped into a quiet voice that sounded was supposed to sound mysterious. Using the lines she had practiced, Sakura asked, "Is there a question with which you want to beseech the heavens?" While the woman rambled on and on of a young man she had been watching for the past several months, Sakura shuffled the pieces of paper in front of her.

After the failed orangeade stand earlier in the week, Kaoru and Sakura had brainstormed different methods of raising money. Once Sakura had stumbled upon the idea of telling fortunes like the fortunes she performed with the Clow Cards, she told Syaoran and Kero. Excited, the four of them set to work. After one shopping trip and a night spent practicing, everything was ready. Sakura used slips of paper that were decorated like Syaoran's _jufu_ to ensure Sakura's abilities with magic and the Clow Cards would remain hidden. They started the stand in a street close to the dojo several days ago. Business was booming. Best of all, Sakura genuinely enjoyed using her talents, even if she wasn't using magic, to help people with their problems.

"Hey, kid." Hearing Sano's voice, Syaoran looked around to see Sano standing off to the side. Sano cocked his head, gesturing that he wanted to talk to Syaoran. With one last look at Sakura, who was preoccupied with the customer, Syaoran walked over to Sano.

Before Sakura started her mock fortune telling stand, news of her plans quickly spread throughout the dojo. Before Syaoran knew it, they had a team consisting of himself, Sakura, Kero, Kaoru, Sano, Tsubame, and Yahiko. Sano acted as a bodyguard of sorts, stopping fights and keeping away shady people. Kaoru, Tsubame, and Yahiko talked to the people in the line, keeping them content as they waited. Kero hid in Sakura's hat, whispering instructions to her as she gave the fake fortunes. Syaoran remained by Sakura's side, silently giving her his support.

When Syaoran reached Sano, he stated, "You've been acting weird lately. What's up?" Uncomfortable, Syaoran said nothing. In a quiet voice, Sano said, "You can trust me, ya know. If I was going to turn you and Sakura in I would have done it a long time ago."

"I… know…" whispered Syaoran hung his head. _But I just can't help it…_ Syaoran's first reaction to anything was one of suspicion. Lost within this unfamiliar and dangerous time period, his instincts were to protect Sakura from anyone and everyone. After meeting all sorts of people from all different walks of life on his travels of Japan in Meiji era, Syaoran was wary of anyone and everyone. With a shudder, Syaoran recalled the people of the village that had captured Sakura. With people like that out there, who could he really trust besides Sakura and Kero?

However… Sano did have a point. Anyone residing at the dojo could have exposed her and magic to the world. But they didn't. Instead, they let her stay despite the fact that Clow Cards had attacked them repeatedly. In the face of being so against answering Sano's concerns, he was forced to admit the six weeks of traveling the Meiji era alone made him jumpy. _Maybe… it's time I began to… to let it all go._

With a sudden intensity and clarity, a vision of blood staining a wooden floor flashed through Syaoran's mind again. Clenching his fists at his side, Syaoran gritted his teeth against the physical pain he felt in his chest. _No! I can't let my guard down! Not now, not ever!_

Mistaking the meaning behind Syaoran's grimace, Sano sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck and muttered to himself, "If you were older I would bring you along when Kenshin and I go drinking and gambling, but I just don't know what to do when it comes to kids…"

 _Drinking? Gambling? I heard of Sanosuke-san doing that, but the kidnapper, too?_ With a huff, Syaoran crossed his arms. _Some older brother he turned out to be._

"Oh, don't give me that," Sano said. "I'm just trying to get Kenshin to cheer up. He doesn't drink or gamble on his own, you know." Stubborn, Syaoran refused to uncross his arms and think better of Kenshin. Throwing his hands in the air, Sano walked away. "I give up. Kenshin can have a blast talking to you if he wants, but don't let anyone say I haven't tried."

Frowning, Syaoran watched Sano leave. He was surprised to feel a ton guilt weighing him down. _It's my fault that Sakura's new… friends… are all upset with me. Just like it's my fault for, for…_ Syaoran shuddered and closed his eyes.

When he shoved down his feelings enough to open his eyes and face the world again, Syaoran saw Kenshin arriving on the scene. Syaoran smiled when he saw Kenshin do a double take at Sakura. Quickly, Kenshin grew upset and he and Kaoru began to argue. No one had told Kenshin of the plans to begin a fortune telling stand for fear he would think that it would endanger Sakura. Seeing Kenshin's reaction, it seemed keeping the stand a secret from Kenshin was a good idea after all. _Even the plush toy, Kero, is okay with Sakura doing a stand, as long as we didn't use magic or the Clow Cards. So why would the kidnapper not like the idea…_ A thought struck Syaoran. _Oh, that better not be why!_ Striding towards Kenshin and Kaoru, Syaoran bunched up the sleeve of his gi on one arm, thinking, _If he's upset for what I think he is, than he's even more selfish than I thought!_

As Syaoran approached Kenshin and Kaoru he heard them shout at each other. "Fortune telling with mock cards?" Kenshin asked, "Is this a joke? You know why Sakura-chan can't do something like that! This one can't believe you would endanger her this way."

Crossing her arms, Kaoru retorted, "If nobody uses any names or special abilities, then what does it matter?" Kaoru smiled.

"All right, all right. Break it up." Kenshin and Kaoru looked up to see Sano towering over them. He stared down on them. "You're both bad for business. Go away."

Latching onto the sleeve of Kenshin's gi, Syaoran bore holes into Kenshin's head. "We're going to the dojo," he demanded. Dragging the protesting Kenshin and Kaoru behind, Syaoran and Sano lead the pair to the dojo. Yahiko and Tsubame elected to stay at the stand.

Once at the dojo's gates, Kaoru sighed and explained, "Look, Kenshin. I know how you feel, but we're using every precaution to hide Sakura's identity and her connection to the dojo. She's not using magic. It's just a game. I know you want to protect her, but you can't stop her from having fun. She looks so happy doing this. And it's not just her, but everyone having a great time working together to pull this off. You know everyone's been upset since… Jin-e."

Kenshin pursed his lips together. After a moment he opened his mouth to reply, but Syaoran cut him off. "You don't care about protecting Sakura at all! You're just worried someone will realize that you used to be hitokiri Battōsai, aren't you?!"

Surprised by Syaoran's words, Kenshin stared at Syaoran. Recovering, Kenshin turned to Kaoru and smiled, "Forgive this one for causing you trouble, Kaoru-dono, Sano. It appears the time for this one to talk to Li-kun has come. Excuse us."

"Well, that's our cue to get out of here," Sano stated. "Let's go, Missie." Kaoru nodded and the two left, presumably to return to the fortune telling stand.

Without another word, Kenshin turned around and headed towards the house, forcing Syaoran to follow. When they had reached the engawa, Kenshin sat down and Syaoran sat beside him. Kenshin looked in the distance as he explained, "It is true that this one fears being recognized as Battōsai, that he does, but not for the reasons this one presumes you think." He grew serious as he continued, "This one fears all the pain that follows. People chase this one for revenge, often not caring who they hurt in the process. The people who show this one kindness are in danger while this one is around. And…" Kenshin dipped his head, his eyes growing sad. "… those kind people reject this one after learning who he once was."

For the first time since meeting him, Syaoran tried to understand Kenshin's point of view. _Didn't he travel as a rurouni for ten years? Ten years of living in fear and pain and being alone… Kind of like me as I searched for Sakura…_

"But when revenge seekers find this one," Kenshin added, "This one doesn't deny them their right to challenge him in a duel. As this one has taken a precious life from them, it is only fair they have the chance to take this one's life."

 _Wow… he actually fights them. But wait…_ Syaoran closed his eyes, thinking. "If you died in one of those duels wouldn't Sakura, Kaoru-san, and everyone be sad?"

Kenshin's eyes widened and his mouth parted in surprise. Then he smiled broadly. " _Hai_ , they would, wouldn't they? This is the first time this one has been in such a position, so it never occurred to him to view things like that. But speaking of people's rights, Li-kun…" A small, resigned smile was on Kenshin's face as he said quietly, "…if you chose to blame this one for not rescuing Sakura, then you have every right to call this one whatever you want."

"Eh?" Syaoran's head jerked up in shock. _He… what?! But why?_

Kenshin turned to gaze to the sky. "Let this one explain in a story. The story isn't the happiest, but please listen until the end." Kenshin remained silent until Syaoran agreed. Watching the clouds, Kenshin began, "There was a young boy who lived happily with his family in a small farming village. However, the disease cholera swept through the village, killing many people including the boy's family. Running short on money, the villagers decided to sell the boy into slavery because they were short on money. Under the slaver drivers' abuse, the boy began to believe that it was his fault for his family and the other villagers dying. It didn't make sense, but he truly believed that he was a slave because he was so weak and helpless that he deserved to be one. Eventually, they boy was rescued from the slave drivers by a man. The man took the boy in and taught him true strength, strength that the boy could only accomplish once he realized something very important. It wasn't his fault for everyone dying and becoming a slave. Once he stopped thinking himself as weak, he was able to become one of the strongest in Japan."

Kenshin stared deep into Syaoran's eyes. "Do you understand the moral of the story?"

 _What a horrible story with so many people dying… And if those slaver drivers were as mean as he said, no wonder the boy blamed himself… blamed himself…_ Syaoran eyes widened with the realization. _That boy… he's kind of like me…_ Swallowing hard, Syaoran nodded. "But…" Syaoran leaned towards Kenshin, placing his hand on the engawa for support. "Does the boy live happily ever after?" The answer meant life or death to Syaoran.

Kenshin paused, clearly confused by the question. His hesitation seemed to last a lifetime. "'Happily ever after'… what a nice idea…" he murmured. Kenshin dipped his head, his bangs covering his eyes making his expression impossible to read. "The boy grew up into a man, but he… he made some more mistakes along the way, that he did. Mistakes that he is still repenting for," Kenshin said, his hand fingering the hilt of his sakabatō.

 _Hold on. 'Mistakes that he is still repenting for…?' The sakabatō…_ Though he almost dared not to, Syaoran whispered, "What was the boy's name?"

Kenshin glanced sharply at Syaoran, before looking away. After a long pause, Kenshin raised his head back to look at the sky again. "Himura. Himura Shinta."

"Is that your real name? Or is it the name of your brother or something?" asked Syaoran.

Heaving a big sigh, Kenshin admitted, "It is the name this one's parents gave him. The man who recused this one changed his name to Kenshin."

"And… how exactly did that man help you get over blaming yourself?"

Closing his eyes, Kenshin explained, "Through learning swordsmanship from the man who rescued him, this one was working towards what he had always wanted: the strength to protect others."

"Protect others…" repeated Syaoran. "That's what you always wanted?" Kenshin nodded. "But you're hitokiri Battōsai." Kenshin nodded again without hesitation. "And Sakura's 'older brother'." Surprisingly, Kenshin didn't respond.

How could someone who wanted to protect others become a murderer? How could a murderer be someone's kind older brother? And yet, it seemed like Kenshin was telling the truth… _It's too much…_ In a vain attempt to banish his sudden headache, Syaoran clapped his hands over his ears and shook his head. "I don't know… I don't know what to think anymore…"

Frowning in sympathy, Kenshin placed a hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "This one didn't tell you his story to justify himself to you, but so that you would know that people can get over blaming themselves with time and support."

Syaoran froze, growing cold all over. He clenched the edge of the engawa with both of his hands until his knuckles grew white. Through gritted teeth, Syaoran bit out, "You're wrong. I don't blame myself. Sakura would never be that hurt because of…" Syaoran blinked. "… not when I promised myself I would keep her safe… It's your fault, kidnapper!"

"This one… This one sees." Kenshin retracted his hand from Syaoran. "Regardless, this one will say it again. If there is anything this one can do for you, Li-kun, please let him know."

Kenshin's repeated offers to mend Syaoran's Chinese magical combat outfit came to Syaoran's mind. Far too angry with Kenshin at this point, Syaoran dismissed the idea with a vigorous shake of his head.

Sighing, Kenshin stood up. He whispered softly, " _Gomenasai_ , Li-kun. This one knows it is a lot to take in, that it is. But this one promises you, with friends like Sakura-chan, Kero, and the others at dojo, you'll get through this." The sound of Kenshin's footsteps receded.

' _Get through this?' What a joke!_ Closing his eyes, Syaoran drew his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. _We don't even know if we'll return home!_

Thoughts of home only reminded Syaoran of all the horrible days he spent searching for Sakura, followed by images of the bloodstained cabin.

 _Oh, Sakura… forgive me…_

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in order they appear within chapter):

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards as well as her magic wand to fight the rampaging Clow Cards.

Himura Kenshin-Kenshin is rurouni, a wanderer, and the former hitokiri Battōsai. He has unusual red hair and violet eyes. On the shorter side, at a glance Kenshin is often mistaken to be a woman. In addition, though he is 28, he looks about ten years younger. He learned his sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, from his master. When he was fourteen, he ran away from his Master to fight in the civil war, during the Bakumatsu, hoping to defend the weak. Kenshin joined the Ishin Shishi, who were determined to topple the corrupt Japanese government and bring equality to Japan citizens. Because of Kenshin's great skills as a swordsman and Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he became hitokiri Battōsai, the greatest assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin fought for five years. Afterwards he disappeared and traveled Japan, becoming a rurouni. As a rurouni, Kenshin protected people with his sakabatō, but because of his bloody past, he never stayed in one place for long. Two months before he entered Tokyo, Kenshin met Sakura and the two began to travel together. Kenshin is a fictional character, but the history of the Bakumatsu and the Ishin Shishi are real.

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings, and when in that form, he can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is his master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Li Syaoran-Syaoran is an eleven-year-old boy from Hong Kong. He is the youngest member of the Li family, a magical family that can trace its history all the way back to Clow Reed. In the beginning of the anime/manga Syaoran's arrogance caused a competition of sorts between him and Sakura to capture Clow Cards, however, as the series progressed, Syaoran began to respect and then love Sakura. While Syaoran has magic of his own and can use the Clow Cards he helped capture, because Syaoran is not the Cardcaptor, he cannot seal Clow Cards through his own power.

Tōya-Tōya is Sakura's biological older brother from the present. He often teases Sakura, calling her a monster for stomping around the house. Tōya is known for getting a lot of part time jobs and spending time volunteering. Throughout the manga/anime, Tōya often had jobs or volunteered at places that Sakura was visiting or capturing Clow Cards. This occurs so often that it is hypothesized that Tōya uses these jobs to watch over Sakura.

Windy-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Sakura captured Windy in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Windy is the gentlest of all the cards. Windy has the power to control winds and can use these winds to bind objects or people.

Shoji-the name of the sliding doors in Japan (as opposed to a Western door that opens and closes on a hinge)

Futon-Japanese mattress that is put on the floor and used as a bed.

Glow-One of the Clow Cards. Glow was one of the two Clow Cards subjugated by Syaoran before he and Sakura reunited in the Meiji era. Glow has no fighting potential; it only can create floating light orbs that make people happy. Glow's normal form is a female spirit that resembles a firefly.

Flower-One of the Clow Cards. Flower was one of the two Clow Cards subjugated by Syaoran before he and Sakura reunited in the Meiji era. Flower has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to create barriers made of flower petals.

Erase-One of the Clow Cards. Erase's normal form is a woman dressed as a jester holding a cape. Erase has the power to erase people and objects. People that are erased by the Erase Clow Card have the potential to disappear forever if someone doesn't subdue Erase. When restored to life, people who disappeared don't remember vanishing. In battle, Sakura uses the Erase to make obstacles disappear.

Illusion-One of the Clow Cards. Illusion creates a vision based on what the viewer wants or expects to see, however in the CCS anime/manga it was most often used to show what a person feared or loved the most. In battle, Sakura has used Illusion to distract her opponents.

Ishin Shishi-the side Kenshin fought with during the Bakumatsu. They were determined to overthrow the corrupt shogun, the Japanese government in order to make Japan a place of equality.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Onee-san-Older sister; the "o" attached to "nee" signals formality as well as the "san" honorific. Sakura refers to Kaoru in a more formal way because she doesn't know Kaoru as well.

Hai-Yes

Eriol-A British boy who moved to Tomoeda and attended the same school as Sakura and her friends (definition is not completely comprehensive due to possible spoilers)

Meiji Era-period of time from 1868 to 1912. Rurouni Kenshin series (and this story) takes place in the eleventh year of Meiji, 1878. Following the collapse of the shogun, the corrupt Japanese government, in the Bakumatsu, a new emperor succeed the throne. Meiji era is an era of time marked by the transition between the feudal era to becoming more modern by the influence of Western countries.

Sake-Japanese alcohol, in the English speaking world sake specially refers to Japanese rice wine

Kimono-a long, loose robe with large sleeves that is tied by the waist with a sash, called an _obi_. Men and women can wear it. In this time, men can wear gis and hakamas instead if they were samurai, but women typically only wore kimonos.

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Revolution-another name for the Meiji Restoration, or the end of the Bakumatsu and the start of a new Meiji government

Oi-Hey

Zanbatō-Sano's weapon. According to the manga the zanbatō is, "a giant weapon… designed to take down horse and rider in one swing. It is the heaviest katana ever made. Because of its weight, it is said that no one has ever been able to weld it to its full capacity."

Aa-An informal yes

"that it is", "that he is", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

Un-Yeah, another way of saying yes

Busu-Ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Fly-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Fly in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Fly's normal form is a giant bird. Sakura uses the Fly card to produce wings on her wand and fly on the wand. Sakura also has the ability to make the wings appear on her back instead of the wand, allowing her to use the wand for other magic.

Hitokiri Battōsai- hitokiri means assassin or literally manslayer. Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu technique, Kenshin's trademark attack. According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." During the Bakumatsu, Kenshin became an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. He was feared by all for his astounding swordsmanship abilities that allowed him to kill so many people. Many legends compare him to a demon. Kenshin fought for the Ishin Shishi for five years (ages 14 to 19).

Sakabatō-Kenshin's reverse blade sword. The dull side of the blade is where the sharp edge should be and vice versa. In this way, Kenshin can fight with a sword but not kill, only breaking bones instead. It is a symbol of Kenshin's vow never to kill again. Kenshin has carried the sakabatō for ten years as he traveled as a rurouni.

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

"Everything will be all right"/Invincibility Spell-Sakura's self-proclaimed spell that grants her invincibility. It is implied (at least in the anime) that this isn't a real spell but chanting it merely gives Sakura the courage and confidence in the face of difficult situations that in the end "everything will be all right".

Yōkai-Mythological creature, but often translated into English as demon; Being called a yōkai can be equivalent to being called a monster.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Jufu-a slip of enchanted paper that Syaoran uses, in conjunction with his sword, to use magic.

Rurouni-Rurouni is a made up term created from the words " _ru_ " which means to wander and " _ronin_ " or masterless samurai. (Note: Kenshin did have a Master, but he ran away to fight with the Ishin Shishi, cutting off all ties with him) After fighting for the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin traveled Japan for ten years as a rurouni. Carrying his sakabatō, Kenshin protected people, but he never stayed in any place for long. By helping as many people as possible as a wandering rurouni, Kenshin hoped to repent for the murders he committed as a hitokiri Battōsai. As a rurouni, Kenshin often masks his true feelings behind a smile or acting as though he is less skilled with a sword than he really is.

Gomenasai-Sorry, I'm sorry; a slightly formal apology used only with friends and family

* * *

That turned out… depressing. But the mood brightens considerably in the next chapter. It's entirely possible that lemonade existed during Meiji Era Japan, but I doubt orangeade did. I also don't know if the idea of kids running lemonade/orangeade stands is common in modern day Japan like it is in America, so I have Sakura mention Eriol just in case it isn't.

Thanks goes to Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius for helping get a better grasp on Syaoran's character. I hope this chapter helps explain why Syaoran is so bitter towards Kenshin.

Next chapter: With a burning question in her mind, Kaoru asks Sakura and Kero to conduct a real fortune telling reading with the Clow Cards about her future. It seems Kenshin also had his fortune read. Through both of their fortunes a dark secret about the Kaoru and Kenshin is revealed…


	10. The Future Foretold! Part Two

I recently rewatched a clip of a CCS movie and heard that Syaoran called Kero Kerberos. I knew that Syaoran called Kero plush toy sometimes, but I couldn't remember what he used at other times. Kero didn't seem right. So I had Syaoran use plush toy rather than having Syaoran say something that was wrong. I've changed it now, so everything should be good now. Sorry if this annoyed anyone! Also, while editing this chapter all of Kero's "ya's" "yer's" "da's" "ta's" "ma's" and "guh's" made my head spin. I'm cutting back on it and only putting in them when they sound more natural in the sentence, instead of forcing it or using it at every opportunity.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura and I really wish I didn't force myself to say this every chapter.

* * *

CHAPTER NINE

The Future Foretold! Part Two

Pulling her legs to her chest, Kaoru watched Sakura place the Clow Cards in different arrangements on the floor, practicing reading them. She observed Sakura without comment, fascinated and disturbed by the thought of all the dangerous power that lay at the fingertips of a little child. Or perhaps the true power resided within the child, as she was the one who is master over all the cards. Closing her eyes, Kaoru thought, _Not only do Clow Cards have magic abilities regarding life and destruction, blurring the lines between reality and imaginary, but I learned two weeks ago when Sakura started her fortune telling business that they have the power to predict the future._ It was an incredible and horrific power. _Why would Clow Reed create such things?_

"Hey, _busu_! You want yer fortune read, don't cha?"

Giving a start, Kaoru opened her eyes to see Kero and Sakura looking at her from across Kaoru's bedroom. Kero flew by Sakura's shoulder. Goodness, she hadn't even known Kero was in the room. Clutching the neck of her sleeping yukata close, Kaoru mumbled some choice words about not trusting Kero in her bedroom.

Kaoru crossed over the room and sat down in front of Sakura. Examining the cards, Kaoru contemplated Kero's question. After a moment, Kaoru spoke, "I do, if you don't mind." _I want to see if when Sakura uses magic during her readings of the Clow Cards the future they predict comes true. And also…_ "There is a question I would like answered."

Kero explained, "We normally don't do fortune telling readings without a pressing need, but…" Kero exchanged a glance with Sakura. "I think we should make another exception."

 _Another?_ Kaoru wondered. For some reason, Kaoru didn't think Kero was referring to the fortune telling stand.

"Kaoru onee-san," said Sakura, turning serious. "Before we start, you need to know something. This fortune telling reading will be different from the ones I've been giving at the stand, because I will be using magic this time. That means the fortune I will read will come true."

Kero added, "However, the cards are often vague clear and have multiple readings or interpretations that can conflict with each other."

"Right," Sakura nodded. "I'll try my best to understand the cards, but it will be difficult because I barely have enough cards even after borrowing Syaoran-kun's cards. Do you still want to continue?" Kaoru said yes.

Without another word, Sakura collected the Clow Cards into a pile and shuffled them. Muttering pleas to the Clow Cards under her breath, Sakura laid the cards out in a pattern: one card on top, two cards besides each other below that, three cards in the middle, two cards alongside each other beneath the three cards, and one final card at the bottom. All together they formed a large diamond. Placing her hand over the top card, Sakura instructed, "I'm about to begin. Please, keep thinking about your question as I go through the reading."

"Okay." In her mind, Kaoru asked, _What do I need to do to get Kenshin and the others to stay?_

"The top card opens the fortune telling and bears a message from the Clow Cards in response ta the question asked," Kero explained as Sakura flipped over the top card, revealing the Flower Clow Card. "The interpretations of the cards depend on many different factors, including what the card controls and represents, abilities and uses, and its individual nature. Flower, representative of the beauty of life, likes ta play and have fun. It can act as a peacemaker, stopping arguments through the beauty of flowers."

Flower, huh? _Certainly the times I've spent with Kenshin and everyone have been fun,_ thought Kaoru. _So far the fortune seems relevant at the very least._

Next, Sakura turned over the three of the cards in the middle all at once. Sakura explained to Kaoru, "The middle cards help the reader answer the question. Here we have the Glow, Jump, and Fly cards. Glow, a servant of the Light Clow Card, symbolizes calmness, wonder, and beauty. It looks like a firefly. It's what I had Syaoran use after Erase and Illusion attacked. The Jump Card is used to dodge things and to climb heights. It can be a little mean. Fly, of course, means wings and flight." Closing her eyes, Sakura added after a moment, "Whenever I think of Fly, I remember the first time I flew with the Fly Card. It was so scary, but once I had the courage to open my eyes and face my fears, I felt all my fear disappear. So I think Fly represents courage."

Kaoru rubbed her temples. This was beginning to get overwhelming. _What does light, jumping, and flying_ _have anything to do with Kenshin and I?_

"And da last card…" Sakura flipped the card at the bottom. It was Sword. Kero said, "The last card is the goal or end of the question or what the end or goal is directed towards. Swords, fighting, anger, protection… all of these things could be da interpretation. The Sword card has the ability to cut through just about anything, even disturbances in time and space."

Kaoru leaned forward, excited, "Can you use that card to return home?" Sakura glumly shook her head. Sighing, Kaoru sat down, thinking about possible meanings of the Sword card. _Sword… Kenshin! Kenshin's name means "heart of the sword"! But what about Sakura, Kero, and Li-kun? Why would the cards only mention Kenshin? Wait, Li-kun has a sword, too. And I teach at a dojo… This could mean anything!_

Perceiving Kaoru's frustration, Sakura smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more help. This is all I can do for you."

"Wait, what?" Kaoru cried. "But this still doesn't tell me what I need to do!"

Kero replied, "Sorry, but since this is answering your question, you should be da one making the interpretations."

Kaoru hung her head in disappointment, sighing. Not wanting Sakura to think her efforts were in vain, Kaoru lifted her head and smiled brightly at Sakura. "Well, thanks for humoring me and listening to my selfish request."

Crestfallen, Sakura seemed to fold into herself. "There's more…" she whispered.

"Huh?" asked Kaoru, confused. "But you just said…"

Sakura glanced at Kero. He sighed dramatically before nodding. Turning to Kaoru, Sakura declared, "You have magic within you."

Kaoru froze, her mind blanking. After a long moment, Kaoru stammered, "W-What?"

Sakura fidgeted as she explained, "You have magic in you, meaning that you can change what the world is made of. Of course, you can only do that with training, which you haven't done so-"

"Sakura, let me," interrupted Kero. "You possess the potential ta manipulate what makes up the environment. It is an ability-nothing more, nothing less. It can be used, or not. Magic doesn't change personality or affect any of yer other talents. It's kinda like… if a person had a really good singing voice, but didn't sing. The person's singing talent doesn't mean nothing if they don't use it. You have enormous potential to wield magic but because you've never been trained, it has never had any affect until now."

"Until now…?" Kaoru breathed.

"Now that you have encountered us; Sakura, the Cardcaptor, me, a magical guardian, and the kid Syaoran, a good magician in his own right, our magic has begun to draw upon yers and the red head's magic. It's making the magic within the two of you stir."

"Kenshin?!" Kaoru cried, slamming her hands on the floor. "Are you saying Kenshin's a magician? That he can use the Clow Cards and cause all that destruction?"

Kero blinked. His tone harsh, he reprimanded, "The cards are used by the wielder. If they are used fer destruction, it is the wielder's fault not the cards. And to answer yer question, yes and no. Red head has magic. It's extremely strong like yers but, if I had ta choose, I would say that yer magic is more powerful. It allowed you to counteract Erase's magic and, if I'm guessing correctly, you saw the same illusion the red head saw. Red head may have been able to use a bit of magic ta break the illusion, but that's nothing compared to what you did."

"Yeah!" Sakura cried, smiling. "Your love for Ken-nii must have let you use your magic for the first time, overpowering the magic of one of the great Clow Cards! How romantic!"

 _L-L-Love?! Uh…_

With a sidelong stare at Sakura, Kero continued, "But even with as strong as magic as yers, neither of ya and wield the Clow Cards without a ton of training and playing a role in capturing the cards."

Kaoru closed her eyes. She didn't want to hear anything more. If it wasn't for Sakura and Kero she would have even believe magic existed. The thought that she or Kenshin, normal people for the most part, had magic was utter lunacy! She didn't come from the future like Sakura and Syaoran did. She was just a struggling dojo assistant master. Although… she did reappear when she became incredibly desperate to save Kenshin from becoming a hitokiri again. And though Sakura had made a comment that Illusion shows different things to different people, she saw and heard everything Kenshin had been tormented with. Was that because they both had magic like Kero said? But was it really true…?

Seeing Kaoru's eyes glaze over, Sakura said gently, "Remember, magic doesn't change anything about you or your life when you don't use it. You can Ken-nii are the same people you would be if you didn't have any magic. Except for one thing."

In a solemn voice, Kero pronounced, "You are a target. The magic of the Clow Cards are attracted ta your magic within ya and are excited by it. The Clow Cards are already aware that Sakura is capturing them, and therefore are flocking to her to challenge her power. But when they sense you have magic as well, they may try to attack ya and the red head."

 _So that's why they telling me this… I get the feeling they wouldn't have told me otherwise if magic doesn't really change anything about a person._ Kaoru buried her face in her hands. _Oh gods… this isn't happening. This isn't possible._

Fingering one of the Clow Cards, Sakura continued, "We told Ken-nii about this already. No one else in the dojo has magic, so they're okay."

"How long have you known about this…?" Kaoru whispered behind her hands.

Reluctantly, Sakura answered, "I've felt Ken-nii's magic since I first met him. It was part of the reason why I trusted him and traveled with him. Because I knew he would be a target for the Clow Cards and he would be defenseless against them. But I didn't sense your magic until after I captured Erase and Illusion. Kero-chan says that people with better magic abilities are able to mask the magic within them.

"I… I'm sorry, onee-san…" Kaoru didn't respond. She didn't lift her head when she heard scuffling of something rubbed against the floor. Sakura must have been gathering the cards. After pausing for a moment, Kaoru heard Sakura and Kero leave the room, probably heading for the bedroom Syaoran and Yahiko shared so she could return Syaoran's cards. Sighing, Kaoru flopped onto her futon. After hours of tossing and turning, trying to decipher the fortune telling and what having magic within her meant, Kaoru fell into a fitful sleep. Sakura and Kero never returned.

At breakfast the next morning, Kaoru barely paid attention to what she ate. She chewed something mechanically as she pondered her fortune. It was of vital importance that she discover what was required of her to support Kenshin, Sakura, and the others as soon as possible. To support them during magical attacks and… Kaoru's eyes flickered to Kenshin eating across from her …to help Kenshin with his past.

Though Kenshin didn't mention Illusion's attack, Kaoru heard everything those voices accused him of. Kaoru didn't know if those voices told the truth-if they were are part of Illusion's tricks Kaoru was more inclined to believe they lied-but she witnessed firsthand the agony they brought Kenshin. _And he hides all that pain behind his rurouni smile._ A wave of frustration coursed through Kaoru. _I have to learn the secret to getting past Kenshin's defenses so I can help him be truly happy and move beyond his past!_

But could she really erase the pain of years spent killing others and wandering around aimlessly in self-inflicted isolation? Who was she to think she could?

That was why Kaoru wanted to have her fortune read. It was supposed to give her answers, but it left her with only more questions. Kaoru exhaled angrily, resting her forehead on her hands.

"Kaoru-dono…? Are you all right?"

Kaoru looked up to see Kenshin watching her. Kaoru wasn't going to remember how she was still struggling having enough money to keep everyone here, never mind making them happy. She was trying her best to forget that Sakura had told her she possessed magic within her, whatever that meant. But most of all, she was definitely not thinking about how beautiful those violet eyes were that were gazing at her with selfless concern…

Ducking her head to hide her burning cheeks, Kaoru bit out, " _H-Hai_." Kenshin leaned back on his feet, his eyebrow raised and his mouth quirking upwards. _He is so cute…_ Kaoru had to resist the urge to giggle when she recalled their evening spent basking in Glow's lights. _He said I was beautiful. Even if we were talking about the lights I know he meant me… Then we held hands all the way home…_ Surely they were closer now, but Kenshin had yet to make any sort of move or mention his feelings. _Probably because of his past. Aaannd that leads us back to the beginning._ Again _._

"Are you sure?" Kenshin asked. "It appears to this one you haven't had much sleep last night."

Kaoru lowered her hands from her face to face Kenshin. "And the same goes for you, too." Kenshin dipped his head, remaining quiet on the subject.

In the silence, Kaoru glanced at around the table. "Huh?" Nobody else was here and the dishes were cleared. Wasn't she just eating? The realization hit hard; they were alone.

Noticing Kaoru's confusion, Kenshin chuckled. However, he grew serious when he asked gently, "Do you want to talk about it, Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru gulped. She knew exactly what he was talking about: having magic within them. "I-I don't know…" she stuttered, folding her hands.

"Oh, nii-chan, onee-chan!" Sakura burst into the kitchen, starling Kaoru and Kenshin. She placed her hands on the table and leaned in closer to them. "I forget to tell you. Just in case you were wondering, I don't want any money for doing your fortunes last night. I could never accept any money for using magic. The fortune telling readings I do at the stand are just a fun game. I don't do use any magic. And besides, I could never take money from you guys. So don't worry about it!" She smiled.

Kaoru gaped at Sakura, horrified. She didn't want Kenshin to know she had her fortune read! She peered over at Kenshin to see him bearing a similar expression. After swallowing, Kenshin mumbled a thank you. Humming a tune, Sakura bounded out of the room.

Kaoru twiddled her thumbs, too mortified to look up at Kenshin again. _So he got his fortune read, too…_ She wanted to know what question Kenshin had that needed answering, because Kenshin struck her as the kind of person who wouldn't believe in superstitions. She realized that couldn't ask Kenshin to share his experience without relating about hers… and it would be so embarrassing for Kenshin to learn she cared so much about him staying she had her fortune read. But, but she really, truly, utterly and desperately wanted to know about Kenshin's fortune, especially if his question was anything like her question. _Kenshin might not tell me his feelings, but he could very well have asked Sakura-chan about it!_

That was it. She simply had to know.

At the same time, Kaoru and Kenshin blurted, "Why did you have your fortune read?"

"Because I wanted to ask her something," Kaoru explained, dodging the question.

Kenshin sucked in a breath, possibly summoning up his courage. "What?" he asked.

Blushing, Kaoru lowered her head. She muttered, "I wanted to know how long you and Sakura-chan, Kero, and Li-kun would stay here at the dojo." There was no way Kaoru was going to mention that she had actually asked what she specially needed to do to keep them at the dojo.

To Kaoru's shock, Kenshin said, "And this one wanted to know how long he and the others would stay here at the dojo as well."

"Why?" Kaoru breathed, leaning towards Kenshin. _Could it really be because…?_

Squirming, Kenshin shoved his hands in his sleeves. After an excruciatingly long moment, Kenshin murmured, "This one has truly enjoyed his stay here, that he has."

Kaoru's heart skipped a beat. She examined Kenshin, searching to see what he felt. His entire face was red and he refused to meet Kaoru's gaze. He fidgeted. However, the corners of his mouth were turned slightly upwards. _He's nervous and embarrassed, but he's smiling. He… He must like me, but the question is does he like me just as a friend or something more…_

Daring to give into her hopes and smile, Kaoru whispered, "I think so, too." Kaoru blinked, realizing what she had was wrong. Humiliated, Kaoru waved her arms and corrected herself, "I-I mean that I have really liked you and the others staying here. Not that I'm staying here. I mean, I am, but this is my house and dojo so I live here not stay here. That is, I mean, uh…"

Kenshin laughed. "This one understood what you meant."

"O-Oh, good." _Goodness, I love that laugh._ Kaoru ran her hand through her hair, nervous. In the awkward silence that followed, Kaoru blurted, "So, uh, what was your fortune? I mean, what were the Clow Cards you got?" _No, no that's wrong too! Can't I say anything right? I look like an idiot!_

Exhaling, Kenshin turned away. He drummed his fingers on the table absentmindedly as he explained, "The top card was Illusion, the middle cards were Glow, Windy, and Sword, and the bottom card was Erase. This one doesn't know what Glow, Windy, and Sword refer to, but Illusion and Erase aren't very… reassuring. Especially since Sakura-chan said Erase symbolizes loss and memories."

Kaoru frowned. _And Sakura-chan said she was using magic so her prediction was sure to come true._ Holding her chin, Kaoru thought, _Hold on a second… if we asked pretty much the same question, why were our fortunes so different? Could the answer to our questions lie in the differences?_ She was so consumed by her thoughts that she almost missed Kenshin's question.

"Why did you want to know how long we would stay?" Kenshin asked, smiling.

"Oh, uh…" Eyes glued to the table, Kaoru played with a strand of her hair."W-Well, it's like I said, I enjoy you staying here at the dojo. I don't want you to leave. And, uh, Sakura-chan and the others, too!" Kaoru hastened to add. "Because… Because…" Growing upset, Kaoru dropped her hands into her lap.

When Kaoru remained silent for a while, Kenshin prodded, "Because…?" His face betrayed how eager he was to hear what Kaoru had to say.

Kaoru closed her eyes. "Well, it's just that after my father died and all my students left except Yahiko… I felt really alone. Like that no cared about me." Laughing mirthlessly, Kaoru clenched her hands into fists. She closed her eyes and tried to fight back tears as she whispered, "I know that's a really stupid reason, but-"

Suddenly Kaoru felt something warm on her hand. She opened her eyes to see Kenshin's hand covering her fist. Gasping, Kaoru looked up at Kenshin's face, which was only a few inches away from hers. "No, it's not stupid," Kenshin said, gently opening Kaoru's fist and entwining his fingers with hers. "This one understands how that feels."

"Kenshin…" Kaoru smiled, touched. A tear of gratitude slipped down her face. For the briefest of moments, Kenshin glanced down at Kaoru's lips before returning her gaze. _Oh gods, is he…?_ Kaoru held her breath, not daring to move even a millimeter for fear of disrupting the moment.

A shoji door slammed open. Gasping, Kaoru and Kenshin flew apart from each other to see Syaoran standing in the shoji doorway from the kitchen to outside. "Where is-" He stopped asking his question as he examined them. There was a confused expression on his face, as though he was thinking something over, before his face broke into a huge grin. "Stop flirting, kidnapper!" Chuckling, Syaoran turned around and left, sliding the shoji door close behind him.

Too shocked to react, Kaoru only stared where Syaoran left. Besides her, Kenshin did the same. _What… what just happened?_

After an eternity, Kenshin cleared his throat and coughed into his hand. "Uh, um, so… Don't worry. …Yeah."

Kaoru watched Kenshin, recalling how sincere his desire to comfort her was. _He's so compassionate, gentle, and strong…_ Truly, from the bottom of her heart she wanted him to stay for both of their sakes. Before she even knew she was speaking she said, "Forget about the fortune telling. Forget about the magic within us. As long as we never give up hope, we're in charge of our own destinies. So…" With a tug, Kaoru undid her ponytail, taking out the ribbon. Kaoru offered her ribbon to Kenshin. Kenshin watched Kaoru, wide-eyed. He clearly didn't understand. _Kenshin_ no baka, Kaoru thought with a smile. "This is my favorite indigo ribbon," Kaoru explained. "I'm giving it to you. You can't go wandering as a rurouni with my favorite ribbon or else I'm going to chase you down and punish you with my bokken. Got it?" She asked, her tone harsh, but she only smiled more.

In front of her eyes Kenshin completely melted, all of his defenses vanishing in an instant. Brushing his fingers against Kaoru's hand, Kenshin accepted the ribbon. He held it to his chest, feeling the silk in between his fingers. He closed his eyes. In a whisper that was barely audible, Kaoru heard Kenshin murmur something, but she only caught the tail end of it. "… _Arigatō_. _Arigatō_."

Kenshin opened his eyes and smiled at Kaoru. _A real smile_ , noted Kaoru. _Not that fake rurouni smile._

" _Hai_ , this one will be sure to take care of this. _Arigatō_ , Kaoru-dono."

"Good."

After another long moment spent staring into each other's eyes, Kenshin stood up. "Well," he announced, "There's chores to be done, that there is. Excuse this one." With a dip of his head at Kaoru, Kenshin left, heading outside.

Sighing happily, Kaoru bent over onto the table. Smiling, she replayed the conversation in her mind over and over. She was still in the kitchen laying on the table twenty minutes later when Yahiko and Syaoran entered the kitchen.

"Hey, _busu_ ," Yahiko said, poking Kaoru's cheek with the end of his shinai. "Time to practice." Kaoru didn't respond. To Syaoran, he muttered, "I think she's dead."

 _I died from happiness… yes, yes…_ Kaoru giggled. She raised her head to see Yahiko and Syaoran watching her with strange expressions on their faces. "Yahiko, your shinai." Yahiko's eyebrows crunched in confusion, but he handed over the shinai without complaint.

Kaoru was still smiling broadly when she brought the shinai crashing down on Syaoran's head.

* * *

"… _It wasn't his fault for everyone dying and becoming a slave. Once he stopped thinking himself as weak, he was able to become one of the strongest in Japan…" The strongest in Japan…_

Syaoran paused on his way to his bedroom in the dojo and placed a hand on the wall, lost in his thoughts. _Yes, I want to be strong. Strong enough that I can help Sakura and Kero in this strange time and that neither one of them will be hurt ever again._ In Kenshin's story-Kenshin's life story-he was only able to get strong after he realized that he wasn't weak. Once he ceased blaming himself any longer. _But I can't change the fact that Sakura was hurt because of me… become stronger…_

Clenching his fist, Syaoran questioned himself. _Is the only way then to move past this is to become stronger? By becoming a better magician?_ If that was the case, then he would be forced to ask Kero for pointers. The idea of being beholden to that stuffed animal wasn't appealing to Syaoran, but he would if it meant Sakura would be safe. _Or maybe… I could ask the kidnapper. He's easily the strongest here at the dojo._

No, that was crazy talk! In Syaoran's eyes, Kenshin was nothing but selfish.

" _Li-kun. This one can't understand how difficult it must be for you to be in a different and unfamiliar era. This one knows that you don't trust him yet but if there is anything this one can do for you, anything at all, please let this one know..."_

"… _She calls this one 'nii-chan' of her own will because this one has done everything he could to make her comfortable and happy in this time. It is what this one is willing to do for you as well, if you let him…"_

"… _Li-kun, this one is truly and deeply sorry for not arriving in time to save Sakura-chan. You may not believe this one, but he has regretted it every single day since, that he has..."_

Syaoran screwed his eyes shut and held his aching head. Despite everything that he had done towards Kenshin, all of the name calling, belittling, and accusations, Kenshin repaid Syaoran with kindness. And he wasn't only kind to him, but to everyone at the dojo. As Sakura and Kenshin explained, for ten years Kenshin had wandered as a rurouni, helping and protecting others.

Ex-hitokiri or not, how could someone like him be considered selfish?

Out of the blue a horrible noise echoed through the hallway. Jolted into awareness, Syaoran paused his deliberations to listen intently. It sounded like a cross between something wet and sinister, punctuated by thumps and grinding noises. Syaoran slowly crept down the hallway, searching for the source of the noise. When a loud crash and Sakura's scream pierced the air, Syaoran wasted no time. _There! In Sakura and Kaoru-san's bedroom!_

Sliding the shoji door open with a slam, Syaoran summoned his sword in his hand. With a sweep of his eyes, he found his target. Besides Sakura was a moving pile of boxes. _Clow Card!_ Placing a _jufu_ on his sword, Syaoran shouted, " _Kashin Shourai_!"

"What are you doing trying to burn my SWEEEEEEEEEETS!" Kero's head popped out of the boxes. As he cried "sweets" Kero belched as loud and deeply as a rhinoceros. To Syaoran and Sakura's amazement and shock, Kero used his fire magic to swallow the magical fire ball Syaoran had conjured. Sakura and Syaoran stared at Kero for several seconds in silence. Kero blinked several times.

"What in the world was that?!"

The trio turned to the door to see Kenshin standing in the shoji doorway with his hand was on his hilt. Despite his question, from the look on his face Syaoran suspected that Kenshin already knew what it was but believed that it was physically impossible for it to occur with such magnitude.

Syaoran, Sakura, and Kero glanced at each other. All at once, the three began to laugh. Bending over and holding his stomach, Syaoran had to wipe the tears from his eyes. Kenshin stayed to watch them for a few seconds, before shaking his head and leaving.

Once the laughter died down, Syaoran sheathed his sword and amicably sat down next to Sakura. "What are you doing?" he asked, his depressed mood just a memory.

Sakura began to pick up the broken pieces of a bowl that had fallen to the ground. Syaoran jumped up to help her. "Well," Sakura explained, "after two weeks of making money with the stand, I decided to spend some of the money. When Kaoru onee-san finished teaching today, we went on a shopping trip." Unconsciously, at the mention of Kaoru, Syaoran rubbed the lump on top of his head that he had received earlier this morning.

Unaware of Syaoran's odd behavior, Sakura continued, "I bought some sweets and _castella_ as thanks for everyone for helping me with the stand. I was hoping we could eat them after dinner one day when Tsubame-chan and Sanosuke-san were here. I think they're coming over tomorrow." Pleading, Sakura turned to Syaoran. "You don't mind waiting until then to eat your piece, do you?"

 _Sakura is staring at me…_ After recovering from his shock, Syaoran furiously shook his head. Here Syaoran couldn't stop begging for Sakura's forgiveness for not saving her from the villagers and Sakura had bought gifts for everyone, himself included. Without a doubt, Sakura was like no other. _If I asked Sakura to forgive me… would she?_ She probably would, but what did it matter if the same incident occurred again and he wasn't strong enough to protect her?

"Thanks, Syaoran-kun." However, Sakura's smile melted into a frown as she glared at Kero. "It was supposed to be a surprise for everyone, but Kero-chan made such a racket eating all the other sweets I bought!" Kero didn't even glance up from eating his _castella_.

Syaoran watched Kero eat. "So… all that noise was Kerberos eating and throwing empty boxes of food on the floor?"

"And the bowl that he knocked over," Sakura added scowling at Kero. "Now I have to explain to nii-chan and onee-chan what happened."

"Ah…" Syaoran nodded. The two remained quiet for a while, listening to the barbaric music of Kero being a pig and inhaling the treats. In an effort to break the silence, Syaoran asked, "I know Kerberos already started to ask you this before, but um, er, if you don't mind me asking… I was wondering why you wanted to have the lemonade and fortune telling stand in the first place. Why would you need money from this era? Or are you doing it for something else?"

"Oh, that!" Sakura laughed. "In fact, I left the money I got in onee-san's safe-" Horrified, Sakura covered her mouth with her hands. She gulped before removing her hands. "I mean, I just like telling fortunes! It's fun! Don't you think so, too, Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran nodded adamantly before a realization dawned on him. "I never told a fortune before."

Sakura froze. Laughing loudly, Sakura cried, "Oh, right of course! Hahaha!"

Syaoran and Kero looked at each other. Kero rolled his eyes while Syaoran sighed. The silence… it stretched on. And on. Syaoran fidgeted, avoiding Sakura's eyes. Sakura asked, "So what is everyone doing?"

Syaoran shrugged. "You know, the usual."

"…like what?" pressed Sakura.

Syaoran mentally berated himself. There were obviously struggling to find something to say, so why had he said such a brief answer? "Well, I think Yahiko is working at the Akabeko now that his training is over for the day and the kidnapper is doing laundry or some other chore like always and I'm pretty sure Kaoru-san is meeting with some friend of hers or something. …Yeah." _…I sound like a moron._

"Wait, what?" Kero cried. " _Busu_ 's out! And that's right! I forgot to talk to red head after Erase's and Illusion's capture! I have to ask him about how things are going with you know who…" Laughing, Kero flew out of the room.

"You know who?" Sakura frowned in puzzlement, causing Syaoran to sigh yet again.

His disappointment vanished in an instant when Syaoran recognized that he and Sakura were alone. _Yes! How long has it been?_ Syaoran opened his mouth to speak but he realized that he had absolutely no idea what to say. Worst of all, Sakura was staring at him expectantly, waiting for Syaoran to speak. Mortified, Syaoran turned his back to Sakura and tried to calm his himself down from having a panic attack. _I will not act stupidly. I will not act stupidly. I will NOT act stupidly and scare Sakura off. I've caused enough trouble as it is._

"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura whispered. Syaoran stopped in place. From the sound of Sakura's voice, it sounded as though she had her head turned away from him as she continued, "You don't have to say anything, just…" She sighed. "I know you want to know my answer to your… confession-"

"Stop!" Syaoran cried, shocking them both. Before he could stop himself though, Syaoran faced Sakura and took her hands in his. "I know what I said and that you haven't told me if you feel the same, but it's okay. It's okay if you don't know how you feel because, well I mean, I hope you feel the same as I do, but, even if it means that it's ten years from now or fifty I'll wait until you figured out how you feel. I'll wait. I'll… I'll wait forever," Syaoran breathed, squeezing Sakura's hands. _It's the least I can do after all you've done for me._

Sakura gaped at Syaoran, her entire face red. She glanced down at the joined hands. Gasping, Syaoran let them go and hid his hands behind his back. " _G-Gomen_! _Gomen_! I wasn't-"

"No, it's all right." Sakura replied, her voice as quiet as a gentle breeze. Closing her eyes, Sakura said, "Thank you, Syaoran-kun for being okay with waiting for me." Sakura smiled and blushed slightly. "Although, I think you'll be waiting for a much shorter time than forever."

Syaoran's eyes widened until they were as big as saucers. _Really?! I would have thought it would have taken until we were like, in high school or something!_ "S-Sakura, I…"

What Syaoran was about to say, however, was interrupted by the sound of angry feet storming down the hallway, heading towards them. With a yank, Kenshin slid open the shoji door and threw Kero in the bedroom. He landed face first. Adressing Sakura and Syaoran, Kenshin huffed, "Keep a tighter leash on _Hotaru_ , would you please?"

Swiveling his head to Kenshin, Kero snapped, "Stubborn old coot! And give me back my food!"

Refusing to be baited into name calling, Kenshin asked instead, "Will you stop pestering this one with questions about him and Kaoru-dono that you have no business asking?"

Kero grinned evilly, "Never!"

Kenshin ate Kero's _castella_ , each bite slow and deliberate. When he finished, Kenshin sucked the crumbs off his fingers. Growling, Kero flew at Kenshin. Kenshin slid the shoji door close and Kero rammed into it. Kero groaned as he slid to the ground.

With a magnificent sigh, Kero picked himself off the floor. He looked up at Sakura and Syaoran and asked, "So. Anything happen while I was gone?"

Syaoran and Sakura shared a glance. Then they burst out laughing again. After their laughter petered off, Syaoran and Sakura smiled at each other, both of them happy and content. _I love that smile… and there's only one thing that I can think of that will make Sakura smile more._

Standing up, Syaoran said, "Sakura, I'm sorry." Before Sakura could question him, Syaoran left the bedroom. His apology could never suffice as reparation for all the grief he caused her, but it was a start. And Syaoran would begin to take the next step right now.

Opening the shoji door, Syaoran stepped outside. In the split second before Kenshin heard the sound of the door opening, Syaoran saw Kenshin folding the laundry with a little more force than necessary, his face red from either anger or embarrassment. Gasping slightly, Kenshin turned around to see Syaoran. "Oh, Li-kun. _Konnichiwa_. Is there something you need?"

Polite as always. Why had Syaoran been blind to it before?

Unsure of how to begin, Syaoran apologized, "I'm sorry about Kerberos bugging you. I don't think it'll be a problem any longer though."

Confused, Kenshin studied Syaoran a moment before replying, "Thank you. But you needn't concern yourself about such matters." Examining Syaoran further, Kenshin took a step towards Syaoran, concern lining his face. "Li-kun, are you all right? You look really pale."

Syaoran swallowed and closed his eyes, psyching himself. Taking a deep breath, Syaoran said, "Look, I've been... I've been doing a lot of thinking…"

In the week following Kenshin and Syaoran's talk on the engawa, Kenshin's words never left Syaoran's head. It forced him to reflect on his behavior, and the reasons behind his actions since he had arrived at the dojo. Like a curse, every time Syaoran began to enjoy himself and relax the barriers around his heart images of the past would flash before his eyes, crushing his happiness. Memories of his failure to protect Sakura would haunt him. In the time he spent at the dojo Syaoran had discovered only one way of finding relief: blaming Kenshin. And yet… was it really anyone's fault? Syaoran didn't know, but with the story Kenshin told him and Kenshin's own actions as a guide, he had come to realize something. The past didn't matter. Moving ahead and working towards the future did. While Syaoran had no clue exactly how he was going to do that, he could do one thing.

Using magic, Syaoran's sword and hilt materialized in his hands. Unsheathing the sword, his Chinese magical combat outfit appeared over his gi and hakama instead of his gi and hakama transforming into his combat outfit like normal. He took his outfit off. Syaoran paused, clutching the clothes to his chest. It held precious memories of home… Syaoran handed over his outfit to Kenshin. "Take care of it," he ordered. Kenshin nodded, a little stunned that Syaoran was entrusting him with mending his clothes. Syaoran continued, "You're still a kidnapper."

" _Hai_ , _hai_." Kenshin answered, shaking his head. But there was a small smile on his face.

"And I still don't completely trust you, ex-hitokiri."

"This one understands."

"And you drool in your sleep, calling for Kaoru-san's name."

As Kenshin protested Syaoran ran away grinning. _I guess the kidnapper isn't so bad if I can tease him like this._

 _Maybe being stuck in this time period isn't that awful after all._

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in order they appear within chapter):

Kinomoto Sakura-Sakura is a fifth grader at Tomoeda Elementary and is eleven years old. Ever since she opened the Clow Book in her basement and released the Clow Cards into the world she became the Cardcaptor and, with help from Kero, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, captures the Clow Cards using magic. In her battles with the Clow Cards, Sakura uses other previously captured Clow Cards as well as her magic wand to fight the rampaging Clow Cards.

Clow Cards-Clow Cards are cards that contain magic. They represent and control different aspects of the environment. For example, the Sword Card is a sword. The Windy Card is a green female spirit that can control the winds. A long time ago they were created by Clow Reed, the most powerful magician of all time before Sakura had captured all of the cards and transformed them into Sakura Cards. The Clow Cards were released from the Clow Book when Sakura opened the Clow Book. They began to cause all sorts of havoc that Sakura had to put an end to.

Clow Reed-He was the greatest magician of all of history until Sakura captured all of the Clow Cards and turned them into Sakura Cards. He created the Clow Cards, Clow Book, Kero and Yue. He lived and died long before Sakura was born.

Busu-Ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Kero-Kero's full name is Cerberus or Kerberos (depending on translation). He is one of the two magical guardians of the Clow Cards. He draws power from the sun. When Sakura has captured the Earthy and Fiery Clow Cards, he can transform into a large beast that resembles a lion with wings, and when in that form, he can spit out fire. Because Sakura is the Cardcaptor, she is his master, however they are friends first and foremost. He speaks in a Kansai accent, which I tried to replicate in English. The other guardian is Yue, but he does not appear in the story.

Yukata-a light kimono with an open v neck similar to a gi worn when sleeping and used by both men and women

Onee-san-Older sister; the "o" attached to "nee" signals formality as well as the "san" honorific. Sakura refers to Kaoru in a more formal way because she doesn't know Kaoru as well.

Flower-One of the Clow Cards. Flower was one of the two Clow Cards subjugated by Syaoran before he and Sakura reunited in the Meiji era. Flower has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to create barriers made of flower petals.

Glow-One of the Clow Cards. Glow was one of the two Clow Cards subjugated by Syaoran before he and Sakura reunited in the Meiji era. Glow has no fighting potential; it only can create floating light orbs that make people happy. Glow's normal form is a female spirit that resembles a firefly.

Jump-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Jump in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Jump's normal form is a bunny. Sakura uses the Jump Card to jump to high elevations and avoid attacks.

Fly-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura captured Fly in the Meiji Era before meeting Kenshin. Fly's normal form is a giant bird. Sakura uses the Fly card to produce wings on her wand and fly on the wand. Sakura also has the ability to make the wings appear on her back instead of the wand, allowing her to use the wand for other magic.

Erase-One of the Clow Cards. Erase's normal form is a woman dressed as a jester holding a cape. Erase has the power to erase people and objects. People that are erased by the Erase Clow Card have the potential to disappear forever if someone doesn't subdue Erase. When restored to life, people who disappeared don't remember vanishing. In battle, Sakura uses the Erase to make obstacles disappear.

Illusion-One of the Clow Cards. Illusion creates a vision based on what the viewer wants or expects to see, however in the CCS anime/manga it was most often used to show what a person feared or loved the most. In battle, Sakura has used Illusion to distract her opponents.

Ishin Shishi-the side Kenshin fought with during the Bakumatsu. They were determined to overthrow the corrupt shogun, the Japanese government in order to make Japan a place of equality.

Sword-One of the Clow Cards. It's normal form is a giant sword but it has also appeared as a sword pendant. Sword possesses its user, rendering them mute and unable to control or remember their actions. Glassy or empty eyes are a sign that a person has been possessed. Sword is said to be able to cut through anything. In battle, Sakura uses the Sword Card to cut things, including barriers.

Li Syaoran-Syaoran is an eleven-year-old boy from Hong Kong. He is the youngest member of the Li family, a magical family that can trace its history all the way back to Clow Reed. In the beginning of the anime/manga Syaoran's arrogance caused a competition of sorts between him and Sakura to capture Clow Cards, however, as the series progressed, Syaoran began to respect and then love Sakura. While Syaoran has magic of his own and can use the Clow Cards he helped capture, because Syaoran is not the Cardcaptor, he cannot seal Clow Cards through his own power.

Cardcaptor-Sakura is the Cardcaptor, meaning that it is her responsibility to recapture the freed Clow Cards and become their master.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Futon-Japanese mattress that is put on the floor and used as a bed.

Rurouni-Rurouni is a made up term created from the words " _ru_ " which means to wander and " _ronin_ " or masterless samurai. (Note: Kenshin did have a Master, but he ran away to fight with the Ishin Shishi, cutting off all ties with him) After fighting for the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin traveled Japan for ten years as a rurouni. Carrying his sakabatō, Kenshin protected people, but he never stayed in any place for long. By helping as many people as possible as a wandering rurouni, Kenshin hoped to repent for the murders he committed as a hitokiri Battōsai. As a rurouni, Kenshin often masks his true feelings behind a smile or acting as though he is less skilled with a sword than he really is.

Hai-Yes

This one-this is an English translation of " _sessha_ ". _Sessha_ literally means "this unworthy one" and is a very humble way to refer to oneself. I'm pretty sure that in Japanese _sessha_ doesn't refer to the third person, but in English it does, so when Kenshin talks I replaced any first person pronouns Kenshin uses with third person. However, because _sessha_ is what one _calls_ oneself, I use first person pronouns in Kenshin's thoughts.

"that it is", "that he is", etc.-This is the English translation of _de gozaru_ , which is an archaic word for _desu_ (it's archaic even in Kenshin's time or so I have heard). _De gozaru_ and _desu_ act to reaffirm what was said. (I don't think it has any other meaning than that…)

Shoji-the name of the sliding doors in Japan (as opposed to a Western door that opens and closes on a hinge)

Kenshin no baka-Kenshin, you're an idiot; Kenshin, you idiot, etc.

Bokken-wooden stick used in dojos to train students; very similar to shinai

Arigatō-Thank you; informal expression of gratitude

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Hitokiri Battōsai- hitokiri means assassin or literally manslayer. Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu technique, Kenshin's trademark attack. According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." During the Bakumatsu, Kenshin became an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. He was feared by all for his astounding swordsmanship abilities that allowed him to kill so many people. Many legends compare him to a demon. Kenshin fought for the Ishin Shishi for five years (ages 14 to 19).

Jufu-a slip of enchanted paper that Syaoran uses, in conjunction with his sword, to use magic.

Kashin Shourai-Fire god, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates missiles of fire or small flames from his _jufu_ that are used to attack or illuminate dark areas.

Castella- Castella is a Japanese sponge cake that existed in the Meiji Era. Because candy in the modern sense doesn't really exist in the Meiji Era, I use castella instead.

Akabeko-Akabeko is a beef pot restaurant owned by Tae's father. In Meiji, beef pot was seen as a representative of European food, and, thanks to its cheap price, was available and popular among the general public.

Gomen-Sorry; an informal way of apologizing to family or close friends

Hotaru-Firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Konnichiwa-hello; good afternoon

Engawa-wooden wraparound porch in old Japanese houses and dojos

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. Hakama have ties at the waist that act like a modern belt. To the sides there are large upside down triangle shaped holes that show the gi underneath.

* * *

I hope that none of you are upset by the fact that I'm having Kenshin and Kaoru have magic within them. I'm doing this because from a logical standpoint (in my mind at least), I don't think Kenshin and Kaoru can face magicians or Clow Cards and defeat them without having a little magic of their own. You probably thought I got rid of the ribbon in the Jin-e incident, but I couldn't do that. It was too cute not to have! I have taken the liberty to move it to now though. I have plans for it... :)

Important note! To save some time (and my sanity) I decided I'm going to stop having the dictionary contain old RK/CCS terms and put the terms in alphabetical order. This will prevent me from having to type up a definition of Kenshin on chapter 15, let's say. But I will still include new and old Japanese words and new RK/CCS terms like the Clow Cards that have yet to be introduced. I know there were a couple of people reading this story that weren't familiar with one or either of the two series, so if this is a problem let me know as soon as possible. If there is one particular term or groups of terms that you want me to include, then I'll include it. Thanks, everyone!

Next Chapter: Part Two and the start of the RK Kyoto arc! When Sakura has a vision of someone dying, Kenshin rushes to save the day only to encounter a young boy who claims to be a subordinate of a man who wants Japan to fall.

A big, big thank you to everyone who has read this story until this point! Part Two should be even better, so I hope you will continue to read it. (And review once in a while to let me know what you think.) Thank you!


	11. Assassination!

What to expect in Part Two: More action and angst/drama and less humor, but I'll try my best to put in humor where I can to make the story lighter. Different characters narrating at times. I won't go crazy with letting other characters narrating, but due to the nature of the events, it's hard to refrain from using the same character over and over again because they are the focus point of the action. Therefore having someone else narrate was the only solution I could think of. Still, I think it adds some variety. There are more differences from the original RK storyline, but the manga/anime is what I'm basing the story on, so there will be times when the story is similar. I'm going to try my hardest though in making the story different, but still engaging, despite this. Not everything that occurred in the Kyoto Arc will be occurring in the story. There is no village that Kenshin stops at on the way to Kyoto, nor does his sword break, for example.

Disclaimer: See other previous disclaimers as I'm getting tired of writing this. :)

* * *

PART TWO

RUROUNI CARDCAPTOR VS. THE MASTER OF THE FLAMING SWORD

CHAPTER TEN

Assassination!

For what felt like the hundredth time, Kenshin checked over the possessions he had. _Miso, salt, rice, soy sauce, and vinegar… It's always the heaviest things, that it is._ At least this time, Kenshin had everything. The last time Kaoru sent him to the market to buy groceries Kenshin forgot the tofu. Apparently, Kaoru yelled to Kenshin as he left that she wanted it, but Kenshin heard no such thing. And what happened when he came home? Kaoru sent him right back out again. Then he was late making dinner which meant Yahiko, Sano, and Syaoran whined and complained until it was dinner was finished…

Kenshin shook his head with a smile. _And I would do it all over again if it meant another day with them. Every day spent here instead of wandering is a treasure._ Even though everyone who stayed or frequented the dojo bickered constantly, they all resembled the families Kenshin had observed during his time as a rurouni. Being with them… was this what it meant to be a part of a family?

For some reason, Sakura's question she asked him by the riverside popped into his mind, _"_ _We make them happy, ne?"_ Kenshin paused, thinking. He recalled Tsubame's visits to the dojo to see Yahiko, Sakura, and Syaoran despite her fears of magic, Sano's snide remarks about how glad he was that he wasn't eating Kaoru's cooking as he slurped on the soup Kenshin made, Yahiko's cheer of happiness when Sakura agreed to teach him cheerleading, Syaoran's small, grateful smile as handed his Chinese outfit to Kenshin, the way Kaoru's eyes seemed to light up every time Kenshin entered the room…

Kenshin smiled to himself. _Maybe we do make them happy._ Closing his eyes, Kenshin thought, _Truly, this happy and peaceful life is invaluable. It reminds me why I became hitokiri Battōsai all those years ago. So the weak can live without fear and fulfill their dreams in a new, peaceful era…_ Unconsciously, Kenshin slipped his hand in his gi and felt the silk ribbon Kaoru had given him. _To think that I, so buried under my sins, would be able to experience the peaceful and happy life that I fought for… it is a dream that I never thought could come true._

"Hey, kidnapper. What are you doing?" Spying a nearby customer give Kenshin a troubled look, Kenshin frowned at Syaoran, who stood behind him. "Sorry," Syaoran mumbled. "But seriously, hurry up. Are you done getting what Kaoru-san wants or not? We don't want to make her mad again." Kenshin had to fight the smile that came to his face upon hearing Syaoran apologize to him. Syaoran continued, "And lately you been putting your hand in your gi and smiling. What are you doing? Scratching a bug bite? Who's happy doing that? Weirdo."

Kenshin froze. Was he really that obvious? "N-No, Li-kun, this one is not… doing that. Where is Sakura-chan?"

"Here," Sakura answered, appearing behind a couple of people standing a little away from Kenshin and Syaoran. She bounded over to them and stated, "You got your hand in your gi again, nii-chan. Why do you do that? Are you scratching a bad bug bite? And are we done yet? We don't want to be late and make Kaoru-san mad with us again." With an irritated sigh, Kenshin removed his hand from his gi.

Earlier in the week Kaoru had discovered money in the safe and demanded to know who broke into her safe. Sakura confessed the truth about the orangeade and fortune telling stands. After Sakura and Syaoran swore that they didn't read the bills, Kaoru let them off with a light reprimand, telling them to respect other people's property and wishes. In an effort to make amends, Sakura and Syaoran decided to help Kenshin shop for groceries. Kero hid in Sakura's hat, like always.

As the trio finally finished shopping and Kenshin was about to pay for the food, Sakura and Syaoran's heads snapped up. Startled, Kenshin asked, "W-What's wrong?"

Sakura opened her mouth to answer, when she realized the owner of the store was staring at her strangely. She created a circle with her fingers then pointed in the distance. The circle was a symbol that Kenshin and Sakura had created to mean the Clow Cards, since a magical circle appeared underneath Sakura's feet every time she used magic. Her finger pointing to the east referred to the direction the Clow Card was in. Suddenly she took a step back as if something hit her. Syaoran caught her.

"Sakura-chan!" Kenshin cried, "Are you all right?"

"Something horrible has happened… I… I see…" Sakura's face turned as white as a ghost as she whispered, "…someone's blood is on the ground…"

"Keep the change, that you should!" Kenshin slapped down all the money in his wallet into the man's hand and ran out of the shop, leaving the food lying on the ground. Sakura and Syaoran followed Kenshin and they all ran in the direction Sakura sensed the card, weaving through the crowds. To Kenshin's surprise, Syaoran held a colorful wooden board that emitted a beam of light in the direction they were heading. Kenshin glanced at the people they were passing by, but none of them seemed to notice the light. "What's that?" Kenshin asked. _Something related to magic, perhaps?_

" _Rashinban_. It points out the place where Clow Cards are." Syaoran grunted in between pants. "Huh. The _Rashinban_ is acting really weird. The light is more powerful for some reason."

Sakura shook her head, her worry only growing worse as she predicted, "There's so much blood… I think they're dying…"

"All right," Kenshin muttered, deciding on a course of action. Jumping on to the rooftop of a house, Kenshin left Sakura and Syaoran behind. Kenshin poured on the speed, leaping across the rooftops in the direction the light pointed him towards. If Sakura had believed something tragic had occurred, then Kenshin wasn't going to let Sakura, Syaoran, or Kero rush headfirst into danger. Not this time.

"Yoo whoo! Over here!" Hearing a familiar voice, Kenshin looked up. Overhead Sakura and Syaoran sat on Sakura's magic wand that had the Fly's wings on it. Kero, who was flying besides the wand, soared down to Kenshin's level. "All aboard!"

"Oro?"

Swooping low, Sakura guided the wand to besides Kenshin. Syaoran reached out his hand to Kenshin and grabbed Kenshin's wrist. Horrified, Kenshin asked, " _Nani_?" Sakura's wand climbed back up into the sky, forcing Kenshin to hang onto Syaoran's wrist for dear life. "What are you doing?!" asked Kenshin, trying to keep the panic from his voice. He had to use all of his willpower not to glance downwards to see the city blur by beneath him at a speed that no other object in flight should be able to achieve.

"Flying, _baka_ kidnapper." When Kenshin gripped Syaoran's wrist harder, Syaoran frowned in confusion. "What? Afraid of heights? Well, now isn't the time. Just sit tight and hold on."

Afraid of heights. Hardly. Some Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū moves required the ability to jump incredible heights to attack. Jumping high in the air was one thing. Heights were another thing. Flying over a hundred feet in the air at speeds rivaling a horse and carriage however… _Men are not meant fly like birds!_

Sakura said, "Sorry, nii-chan, but this is an emergency! Even if we're in the city we have to fly."

Kenshin screwed his eyes shut and prayed, "Please let the cards be close…"

Overhearing Kenshin's almost silent plea, Kero replied, "They're nearer than you think. In fact, it's pretty close to the dojo!"

Kenshin's heart stopped. _No…_

Sakura ordered Kero to fly at a lower elevation to search for a place to land where no one would see them. After a few minutes, Kero reappeared and led the way to a rooftop about a half of a mile from the dojo. Sakura and Syaoran lightly stepped down from the wand while Kenshin collapsed, his knees giving out underneath him. He didn't crumple from fear or relief that they had landed on the ground. No, Kenshin felt a weight on his chest crushing his lungs and heart. Sweat slid down his face as Kenshin gasped, "What… is this? This feeling…"

"Ken-nii?" While Kenshin struggled, Sakura and Syaoran had traveled to the roof's edge about to jump to the ground and chase down the card. Sakura gasped once she saw Kenshin and ran to his side. "Nii-chan! What's wrong?"

"It's happening already, huh?" Kero whispered, eyeing the hand that Kenshin held to his chest. "This is why I didn't want to tell ya."

"What's wrong with Ken-nii, Kero-chan?" Sakura demanded. Syaoran reined in Sakura's anger with a light touch on her arm.

"It is red head's magic beginning to awaken. First his ability to see the light from the _Rashinban_ and now he's sensing the Clow Cards. If he's having this hard of time though, then the Clow Card nearby has to be one of the four elemental cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, or Earthy. 'Course we already have Wind-"

"None of that matters," interrupted Kenshin. Using his sakabatō for support, Kenshin stood up. "The Clow Cards are nearing the dojo, that they are. We don't have any time to waste." Kenshin waved aside Sakura's protests and jumped down from the roof. Following the feeling in his chest, Kenshin ran off to the right.

"W-Wait! Ken-nii!" Sakura cried after Kenshin. "Don't-" She shouted a warning, but as the distance between them grew Kenshin couldn't hear Sakura's words.

After ten minutes of running, the pain in Kenshin's chest became intolerable. _Does this mean they're here?_ He took a moment to scrutinize his surroundings for danger. He had arrived in a small clearing, a few trees and bushes dotting the region. A road wide enough for carriages dissected the area. Taking a few steps forward, Kenshin glanced this way and that. _…I don't see anything-_

The weight on Kenshin's chest multiplied until it felt like someone had dropped a dozen bricks on top of him. Groaning, Kenshin bent over. _This pain… it's unbearable! How does Sakura-chan do it?_

"Himura Battōsai-san? What a wonderful surprise! This complicates matters and simplifies them at the same time."

Kenshin whipped around to see a young man standing behind Kenshin. He had short, black hair with long bangs and dark brown eyes. The relaxed way he rested his sword on his shoulder and the blue gi and hakama he wore all indicated that he was a swordsman who was confident in his abilities. Although he bore an easy smile, there was a cunning light in his eyes that belied his youth. Kenshin's chest clenched at the sight. Without a doubt, Kenshin knew.

 _He possesses two Clow Cards._

Placing his hand on the sakabatō, Kenshin asked in a low voice, "If you know who this one is, then who are you?"

Laughing, the young man hit the side of his head with his free hand. "Heh, where are my manners? My name is Seta Sōjirō. I have a message from Shishio-sama for you."

 _Shishio… why does that name sound familiar?_ Kenshin mentally shook his head; he couldn't afford to be distracted. This duel had to end as soon as possible before the pain in his chest overtook him, rendering him unable to protect Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero. In addition, he needed to discover whoever was wounded and save their life. Taking a step forward, Kenshin replied, "This one has a message as well: surrender the Clow Cards to this one peacefully or he will be left with no choice but to take them by force."

Sōjirō blinked in surprise. "Clow Cards, Himura-san? I'm impressed by your knowledge of their existence. I suppose a fight is inevitable then," smiled Sōjirō as he tapped the front of his zōri against the ground. "I cannot dally here, however. Let's make it quick, shall we, Battōsai-san?"

"Agreed," Kenshin muttered. Rather than thrusting himself headfirst into battle, Kenshin spared the time to thoroughly examine his opponent. Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū was a sword style based on predicting and countering adversary's moves. As Kenshin observed Sōjirō, he tried to foresee what attack Sōjirō would execute by gaging his emotions. _I detect nothing from him. No anger or aggression… not even a sense of urgency, only slight amusement._ Baffled, Kenshin resorted to the only move available to him: battōjutsu. If he could not read his Sōjirō, then it would be best to rely on his fastest move and take down Sōjirō in one move.

Seeing Kenshin fall into a battōjutsu stance, Sōjirō sheathed his sword and grinned, "Battōjutsu… it's been a while." Sōjirō copied Kenshin's stance. He faced Kenshin with the side of his body opposite of his sword hilt and bent his knees, his arm slightly raised at the ready to draw his sword.

The two stared at each other, both waiting for the moment to strike. At the same time, Kenshin and Sōjirō lunged towards each other, drawing their swords. With a clash, the cold steel kissed each other before they parted as Kenshin and Sōjirō passed each other.

Turning around, Kenshin saw the back of Sōjirō's hakama. _Blood…_ Kenshin thought, horrified. _Did he use his Clow Cards to… kill?_ Suddenly the battle became much more deadlier.

Sōjirō completed his turn to face Kenshin, blocking the sight of the blood on his hakama. Sōjirō examined his sword in his hands. "Astounding. You managed to crack my sword even though you were using a sakabatō. Truly, the legends of Battōsai's strength and speed are valid." Yet again Sōjirō began to tap his zōri against the ground. "It's time to get serious." Before Kenshin's eyes, he vanished.

Gasping, Kenshin tried to find where Sōjirō disappeared. In various places the ground tore apart in small clouds of dust and dirt, heading towards Kenshin. _That's… Sōjirō! He's moving so fast that he's even faster than my godlike speed of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! If I can't track him with my eyes then I'll have to rely on magic._ Closing his eyes, Kenshin sensed the Clow Cards charging at him from behind. Immediately, Kenshin sidestepped, dodging Sōjirō and his blade. _Now!_

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūkansen!" Spinning on his heel, Kenshin swung the sakabatō at Sōjirō, the momentum and centrifugal force contributing to the strength of Kenshin's swing. _You're finished!_

Just as Kenshin expected to feel the impact of the sakabatō hitting Sōjirō, Kenshin's chest exploded in warning. He screamed as a something cold bit deeply into his back, blood spewing everywhere. Grunting, Kenshin stepped forward and spun around to face Sōjirō. Blood soaked through his red gi and slid down his back. Kenshin had to fight to keep from shivering. _Just like when I was facing Jin-e and the ghosts of my past…_

For a second, confusion flickered across Sōjirō's face. "That's odd. I thought for sure I'd got you that time."

Kenshin remained silent. Thanks to his magic's warning, Kenshin knew to take a step forward before Sōjirō slashed his back. Otherwise… he'd be dead. Every fiber of Kenshin's being rebelled at the thought of relying on magic in a sword fight. What would his master think of him? But he had to set such feelings aside or else his life would be forfeit. _He's has two Clow Cards that I don't have any idea what they are, when he's going to use them, or what effects they have. It's not humanly possible to be that fast so he must be using them. Or could it be a Clow Card of… If only Sakura-chan and Kero told me about the Clow Cards when I asked them!_

Sōjirō's confidence returned as he smiled yet again. "I won't miss next time." Kenshin braced himself as Sōjirō disappeared.

Kenshin tried to summon his magic again but it refused to cooperate. _Where is-?_ Hearing a snap of a branch breaking, Kenshin turned to the left. Kenshin's eyes widened as he saw Sōjirō jump off against a tree trunk and fly towards Kenshin, sword about to skewer his chest. K _-_ Kuso _!_ Kenshin thought.

"Windy!"

A gust of wind blasted Kenshin and Sōjirō both, knocking Kenshin off his feet and sending Sōjirō soaring away from Kenshin. With a midair flip, Sōjirō landed on his feet and slid across the ground for a couple of feet. Still crouching, he asked, "What was-" His face lit up when he saw the three figures who arrived on scene. "Could that be…?"

"Stay back, Ken-nii!" Sakura and Syaoran rushed forward and stood between him and Sōjirō. "He has two Clow Cards!"

"Hey," a voice said by Kenshin's ear. It was Kero. "You okay? That boy must be incredible fer him to have struck your back. He caught ya off guard." Kenshin turned away, saying nothing.

Slowly, Sōjirō stood up, a smile growing on his face. "It is! The Cardcaptor has finally revealed herself! And she brought the sun guardian with her. Shishio-sama will be so pleased."

Sakura gasped in alarm. Syaoran shouted, "Sakura, no!"

After vanishing for a moment, Sōjirō reappeared in front of Sakura. He crouched on the ground so he was level with Sakura. Their faces just centimeters apart, he grinned, "Shishio-sama has just been dying to meet you."

"Ah…" Sakura whimpered, completely frozen in place.

" _Raitei Shourai_!" The ground by Sakura shook, causing Sakura to fall over. A lightning bolt crashed into the ground where Sōjirō stood only moments before. "W-Where?" Syaoran asked, his head pivoting wildly. Sōjirō sat on a tree branch several meters away, laughing quietly to himself. "But how?" Syaoran spluttered. "How can he be faster than lightning?!"

"Shall we test the Cardcaptor's power? Of course, as I said, I'm afraid I can't stay for long. No holding back now," Sōjirō warned. Leaping off the tree, Sōjirō blurred out of existence. With a cracking noises, the ground erupted into small craters that surrounded them. Sōjirō's voice seemed to echo all around them as he challenged, "Let's see if the Cardcaptor can see through this!"

Grimacing, Kenshin watched the scene before him. _Sōjirō is encircling us. We're trapped and can't escape! And if I try to attack him, I'll be leaving Sakura-chan, Kero, and Li-kun vulnerable!_

"Syaoran-kun!" Syaoran nodded at Sakura and the two turned so their backs were facing each other, wand and sword in hand at the ready. Their position allowed them to watch every movement. Kenshin did the same while Kero flew above their heads. Trying to break Sōjirō from encircling them, Syaoran summoned lightning bolts through his magic. However, the craters created from Sōjirō's feet hitting the ground continued to appear, unaffected by Syaoran's barrage.

Sakura glanced at Kenshin for a moment before turning her eyes forward. "Ken-nii, are you okay?" When Kenshin nodded, Sakura asked, "Do you know what Clow Cards he has?"

Kenshin only grunted in response. Sensing Kenshin's anger, Sakura stammered, "K-Ken-nii?"

"No, this one does not know what Clow Cards there are. If this one had to guess, he has an Invisible Clow Card, or something."

"There's no card of Invisibility," Kero corrected, flying lower so he was closer to the trio and dodging a stray lightning bolt.

"Of course not," Kenshin muttered angrily under his breath.

Kero sighed, realizing why Kenshin was so upset. "Look, red head, it's dangerous here. This guy has an elemental Clow Card. You are already wounded as it is. You need to leave."

"Please, Ken-nii…" Sakura whispered, her eyes sad. "Leave the capture of the Clow Cards to me. I'll cover you as you escape."

"I'll protect Sakura," Syaoran added, his tone serious. "You go find the person who is injured."

 _Escape? Never!_ Over the years Kenshin had spent as a rurouni, he had humbled himself greatly, becoming a penniless wanderer who often went hungry. However, he still had his pride as a powerful swordsman. _How could Kero think that I would abandon children to run away?_

While Kenshin felt they were making a mistake by attempting to get Kenshin to flee, they were right about one thing. It was dangerous. At this rate, they were all going to be killed if they couldn't figure out what Clow Cards Sōjirō possessed. Ignoring Sakura, Kenshin closed his eyes. _Think, Kenshin. Think!_ Kero had mentioned that it was likely that Sōjirō had an elemental Clow Card. _What were they?_ thought Kenshin. _Ah, yes. Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy._ Sakura had already captured Windy before they met and Sōjirō did nothing related to water or fire, so… The feeling in his chest tightened for a moment, as if giving its approval.

"Li-kun! Stop using your magic!" Sakura, Kero, and Syaoran gave Kenshin a look that clearly said, "You're out of your mind." When they continued to stare at him, Kenshin yelled, "Do it! Now!"

Syaoran lowered his sword and _jufu_ , all lightning bolts vanishing. While lightning had ceased to be, the fresh craters still appeared, encircling them and each new one closer to them than before. Sakura began to speak, but Kenshin shushed her. He closed his eyes and concentrated. A new crater appeared only a meter away from Kenshin and the ground trembled a bit beneath his feet. _That's it!_

"Sakura-chan! It's Earthy! He's using the Earthy card!"

Sakura's face lit up with understanding. "Of course! Syaoran-kun!"

Syaoran nodded, a Clow Card forming in between his fingers. He tossed it up into the air, hitting it with the point of his sword. "Wood become a binding chain, Wood!" Branches flew out of the Wood Card in all directions. Finally coming into view, Sōjirō reappeared and began to dodge and hack at the branches. However, at Syaoran's command the branches of a tree behind Sōjirō grew rapidly. They ensnared Sōjirō and lifted him off the ground. Sōjirō raised his arm holding his sword, but a branch wrapped around his wrist and tightened until Sōjirō let the sword fall. Underneath all of the branches, dirt covered Sōjirō and his gi and hakama were torn. His zōri were barely held together. Despite this, Sōjirō smiled.

Brandishing her wand, Sakura cried, "Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Card!" The Earthy card materialized at the end of Sakura's wand. Sakura retrieved the card and wrote her name on the back.

"Now, Sakura!" shouted Syaoran. "Capture the other card!"

A slow clapping echoed throughout the area. Everyone whirled around to see Sōjirō standing on a tree branch behind them, his clothes in immaculate condition apart from some mud on his zori. "Congratulations, Cardcaptor-san."

"What?" Syaoran gasped. Syaoran turned to the Sōjirō trapped in the tree branches, but though the knot of branches remained, Sōjirō wasn't there.

Following Syaoran gaze, Kenshin also noticed the trapped Sōjirō had vanished. _But Sōjirō was clapping while he was trapped in the tree branches. That means… for one instant, there were_ two _Sōjirōs._

"You and your friends have discovered my technique," Sōjirō continued despite the interruption. "In return for showing me you some of your magic and skills, I shall tell you mine. Beyond the Himura-san's famed god speed, there is another level of speed that I have mastered: _Shukuchi_. Some people have said that masters of _Shukuchi_ appear to be using magic to shrink the earth itself to achieve legendary speed. Of course, with the Earthy Clow Card I received from Shishio-sama, I literally do shrink the earth to go even faster. Fast enough that I am invisible to the naked eye."

Shouts from a couple of streets over captured everyone's attention. Hearing their words, Kenshin gasped, _N-No! He can't be…_

After a moment, Sōjirō turned to Kenshin and said, "Shishio-sama's orders were to locate Himura Battōsai residing in Kamiya Kasshin-ryū dojo and give him this message: If you do not yet wish to die, don't go against Shishio-sama. Abandon the Cardcaptor and the guardian. Japan will fall to Shishio and there is nothing you, the Cardcaptor, or the guardian can do to stop him." With one last smile, Sōjirō jumped up into the air and disappeared.

But just before he left, Kenshin spied some blood on the bottom of Sōjirō's hakama. _Both of them have blood at the same exact place. But what does that mean…?_

"Darn it!" Syaoran cried. "We were so close to getting both of the cards. Now we don't even know what other card he has."

"Oh well, it can't be helped. But some good came out of it, too!" Kero exclaimed, joyfully. "With da Earthy Card, all we need is Fiery and I can transform into my true form!"

Kenshin clenched his fists at his side, thinking, _I can't believe it… there must still be…!_ Turning on his heel, Kenshin snapped, "Never mind that! Kero, take Sakura-chan and Li-kun and go back to the dojo." All three in question stared at Kenshin blankly. "Now! This one will find the person Sakura-chan thought was bleeding."

"But…" Sakura objected, biting her lip with worry. "…you don't even know who they are or where they are. You need my help."

"That doesn't matter. This one will find them on his own." Kenshin grabbed Sakura and Syaoran's shoulders with his hands and forcefully turned them around. With a shove, Kenshin ordered, "Go to the dojo and protect it. Go on, run! Or take your wand thing, this one doesn't care, but go! Now!"

Before any of them could protest further, Kenshin took off at his fastest speed in the other direction, running and jumping across the rooftops. By following the shouts of the people and the pressure in his chest, Kenshin felt confident he was heading in the direction of where someone was… _Dying. Not dead, not dead. He can still be saved. I_ will _save him!_

When Kenshin crossed into the Akasaka ward, he was forced to run through the streets instead of the rooftops, because of the large houses in the area. The farer he traveled, the more difficult it became as the number of people shouting and running around in a panic dramatically increased. Not a good sign. _No, I refuse to believe…_ A police officer's uniform caught Kenshin's eye. Without any hesitation, Kenshin followed the officer, pouring on the speed. After a few minutes, Kenshin emerged on a dirt road. Twenty five meters ahead a large group of civilians and police officers crowed around an overturned carriage. Kenshin's heart hammered in his chest, in time with the chanting in his head. _No… No, no, no!_

At that moment a few of the people in the crowd shifted and Kenshin beheld a police officer cover a man's head with a blanket. _I can't…_ Kenshin lowered his head, despair consuming him. _Forgive this unworthy one of failing to save you…_ He closed his eyes and touched his chest, where the magic within responded to the traces of Clow Card's magic within the area. _The Clow Cards killed one of the greatest Ishin Shishi and chief of internal affairs of the Meiji government… Ōkubo Toshimichi. Without Ōkubo-sama to lead the country, Japan is doomed._

"Ken-nii!"

Kenshin froze. _I told them to protect the dojo!_

Even though he already knew what he would find, Kenshin turned to see Sakura and Syaoran run towards him with Kero flying after them. Sakura's wand transformed into its key pendant form as Sakura reached Kenshin. Sakura grasped Kenshin's arm as she asked, "Are you all right?"

At any other time, Kenshin would have been happy to see Sakura. But not now. Not after what just happened. Not when more blood has been spilled because of him. _If only I knew…_ Kenshin gritted his teeth and clenched his fists until they were white. _If only they told_ _me… I could have done something,_ anything _!_ In a quiet but firm tone, Kenshin asked, "Why didn't you tell this one…?"

"Eh?" Sakura said, her head titling in confusion. When Kenshin didn't offer any explanations, Sakura and Syaoran looked up at the crowd to see the blood on the ground and the body covered by a blanket. Sakura gasped, horrified. "T-The Clow Cards…" she murmured, her voice barely audible. She fell to her knees, muttering something incoherent to herself. Frowning in empathy, Kero laid a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

Besides Sakura, Syaoran stared at the blood on the ground, his bewilderment clearly visible on his face. "What happened… Are… Is that guy…"

Seeing Sakura and Syaoran in such pain tore Kenshin's insides to shreds. His regret and sorrow fueling his anger, Kenshin demanded, "Why haven't you told this one about the Clow Cards?"

Ever since the day Jin-e kidnapped Kaoru, Kenshin had vowed to get information from Sakura and Kero about the Clow Cards. However, Sakura and Kero had dodged the question at every opportunity. Eventually Sakura admitted that she had wanted to tell Kenshin about the Clow Cards from the beginning, but Kero had strictly ordered her not to. Kenshin then consulted Kero about the issue, but he was as stubborn as an ox.

Sakura and Syaoran ignored Kenshin's outburst, both too consumed by the scene before them. With a heavy sigh, Kero flew towards Kenshin. He crossed his arms, as though he was ready for a fight. However, he said nothing at all. Baffled by Kero's silence, Kenshin explained, "All this time this one has been trying to protect Sakura-chan and Li-kun. And you! And everyone at the dojo! But this one can't do a single thing when a Clow Card attacks! How can this one protect anyone if he doesn't know what he's facing?"

After a moment, Kero looked at Kenshin dead in the eye. In a voice as cold as steel, he stated, "I understand how ya feel, red head, but this is da way it has ta be. I can't tell you about the Clow Cards."

Waving his hand to the body by the carriage, Kenshin shouted, "What possible reason could you have that means more than someone's life?!"

Kero bowed his head. He whispered, "It's fer your own sake as well as everyone else's sake."

"This one's sake?" cried Kenshin, placing his hand on his chest. "Everyone else's sake? Kero, what in the world are you talking about? Do you not see the devastation that has occurred because of this one's ignorance?" Again, Kero said nothing. Kenshin refused to slow down to consider Kero's reasoning. "You know just how much jeopardy everyone has been in because of the Clow Cards. And with every new appearance, the Clow Cards only grow more and more dangerous! They just _killed_ the most powerful man in all of Japan! What if next time they appear they manage to kill everyone at the dojo? Or Li-kun? Or Sakura-chan? What then, Kero? What then?!" spat Kenshin, his face twisting in disgust. Sarcasm as caustic as poison dripped from his words as Kenshin scorned, "Please tell this one what you would do because he doesn't know if there is a 'magical' resurrection Clow Card or not."

Kero's eyes flashed with anger. He humphed and tossed his head. "Any death caused by da Clow Cards are not the fault of the Clow Cards, but their user. And for your information, before we came here, also in an attempt to save that man's life I might add, we stopped at the dojo and checked on everyone. They're fine."

Kero's attitude infuriated Kenshin more. _He's not listening to me!_ Taking a step forward, Kenshin pointed his finger at Kero and yelled, "Listen here, _Hotaru_! This one doesn't know what your reason for not telling him anything is, but if you think you can get away with playing this game of letting the Clow Cards do as they please before sealing them, you're wrong. Today just proved that. Or do you think that your magic makes you above everyone else? That people's lives don't matter?! Because they do matter and this one will die before letting another person be killed when this one could have prevented-"

Livid, Kero flew into Kenshin's face. Spittle flew as he screamed, "How dare you say that to me?! I'm not some heartless monster! And besides, that's rich coming from the ex-hitokiri Battōsai!"

 _Oh… o-o-oh…_ Trying to rein in his fury, Kenshin leaned back away from Kero. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Narrowing his eyes, Kenshin hissed through gritted teeth, "Admit it. You never trusted this one. You never wanted this one travel with you, you never wanted this one to protect Sakura-chan. You never… you never trusted this one…" repeated Kenshin in a whisper, blinking once. He was surprised to find that saying these words hurt more than he thought they would. It broke Kenshin's heart. Of all the people in this world to trust him, aside from Katsura, surely it would have been Sakura and Kero?

"Kenshin…" Kero murmured, closing his eyes and sighing heavily. In a voice that was barely audible, Kero said, "It's only because I'm concerned about Sakura…"

Kenshin stepped past Kero. Without turning to look back at Kero, he said, "So is this one." As expected, Kero didn't reply. Shaking his head in disgust, Kenshin walked over to Sakura.

Kenshin knelt in front of Sakura, trying to push aside his anger and hurt to be able to focus on Sakura. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Sakura-chan, are you all right?" Instead of answering, Sakura stared ahead, a glassy look of shock in her eyes.

"About time you finished arguing like children. Now can you help me help Sakura or not, kidnapper?" Though his words were harsh, Syaoran's wide eyed expression and the tremble in his voice clearly betrayed how scared he was.

" _Gomenasai_ , Li-kun. Forgive this one." Syaoran only swallowed hard and nodded. _Despite his fears, he still is clinging to his strength and pride… such a courageous boy_ , smiled Kenshin. Turning to Sakura, Kenshin repeated his inquiry to her.

Her voice quavering, Sakura muttered, "The Clow Cards couldn't of… I'm the Cardcaptor and I never would have wanted this… so, so why…? I'm supposed to take care of the cards. They're my friends… so why did they k-k-k-" Sakura broke off as tears began to stream down her face. "I-I k-killed…"

"NO!" Kenshin shouted, as he venomously shook Sakura's shoulders. "No, you did not kill anyone, do you hear this one?! It was Sōjirō. No, Shishio! It's Shishio's fault." As Kenshin fought to still his panic, his hands visibly shook on Sakura's shoulders. "It's not your fault. You're okay. Everything's okay. It's not your fault. Don't you think or say that EVER again! Do you understand, Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan!" Kenshin shouted when Sakura didn't respond. After a moment, Sakura numbly nodded.

"Good," breathed Kenshin, relief coursing through him. "Now we're getting out of here before we make a bigger scene than we already did." Holding Sakura close to his chest, Kenshin said to Syaoran, "All right, let's go." Syaoran stared at Kenshin blankly. "Get the pink stick thing so you can fly out of here."

Syaoran blinked. "You mean Sakura's wand?"

 _Right, right,_ baka _,_ thought Kenshin, mentally scolding himself. Turning Sakura in his arms slightly, Kenshin whispered to Sakura in a soothing tone, "We're going home now and we want to get there as fast as possible."

"Home…" Sakura intoned, looking so lost as though her soul had disappeared.

Kenshin winced. _Ahō!_ He continued on, hoping haste would make up for his mistake. " _Hai_ , the dojo. We need you to use your wand and to fly to go back to the dojo and see Kaoru-dono, Yahiko, and Sano. Okay?" Sakura didn't respond. Kenshin brushed a few strands out of her face, attempting to keep the fear out of his voice. "Sakura-chan? Answer this one…" _Please don't completely melt down on me… I wouldn't be able to bear it._

Blinking fiercely, Syaoran took Sakura's hand in his and put it on her key shaped pendant. "Sakura, we need to use the Fly card." Sakura turned her head towards Syaoran. Slowly, she nodded. After muttering an incantation and using the Fly card, the pendant turned into the wand with wings. Syaoran climbed on once Sakura did.

When Syaoran offered his hands to Kenshin to grab, Kenshin explained, "You two go on. This one will use the rooftops. This one will be right behind you, don't worry."

Trembling, Syaoran whispered, "What's going to happen…?"

Kenshin swallowed. He rubbed Syaoran's head and answered, "Don't worry. Everything will be all right."

For some reason, Syaoran lit up at Kenshin's words. He nodded and Kenshin was relieved to see some of his determination return to his eyes. Syaoran hugged Sakura's back, repeating Kenshin's words in Sakura's ear. Sakura nodded again and the two flew into the air. Kenshin turned his head to look at Kero, who was still flying behind him. After a long moment, Kero flew into the air without saying a word to Kenshin.

Sighing, Kenshin turned his gaze to the police men carrying the Ōkubo's body. _One of the greatest revolutionaries of the Bakumatsu, leader of Japan and creator of its national policies… with the last of three greatest revolutionaries gone, the government is in the hands of the inexperienced. Now surely… chaos will engulf Japan._

Kenshin looked down at his shaking hands. Summoning his courage, Kenshin clenched his fists. _Not if I have anything to say about it. Shishio is far too powerful to be allowed to run loose like this!_ When Kenshin saw blood trickle down his fist, he gasped. _But does that mean… I will return to… to…kill-?_ Kenshin shook his head. It was simply too horrible to even consider for a moment. Confused and slightly frightened, Kenshin turned around and raced back to the dojo.

When Kenshin arrived at the gate, he paused. _How am I going to tell Kaoru-dono about all of this?_ Recognizing it was a conversation that was unavoidable, Kenshin sighed and entered the Kamiya grounds. He heard Syaoran's panicky voice and Kaoru's attempts to calm him down from within the dojo.

Sliding open the shoji door, Kenshin confronted his worst nightmare. Kaoru, Yahiko, Sano, Syaoran, and Sakura turned to Kenshin and greeted him, but Kenshin could only stare at the man behind them all in abject horror.

A man in a police officer uniform turned to Kenshin. He smirked and then flicked his cigarette to the ground.

Almost as though in a trace, Kenshin murmured, "Saitō Hajime…"

Saitō grinned. "It been ten years since we last fought. Ten years is long enough time to make a man rot, eh, 'rurouni' hitokiri Battōsai?"

 _He could have killed everyone here at the dojo…_ Kenshin gripped his sakabatō hilt, his knuckles growing white as the realization hit him hard.

 _My own past is far more dangerous than any Clow Card._

* * *

Japanese and new RK/CCS Terms Dictionary (in alphabetical order):

"Everything will be all right"/Invincibility Spell-Sakura's self-proclaimed spell that grants her invincibility. It is implied (at least in the anime) that this isn't a real spell but chanting it merely gives Sakura the courage and confidence in the face of difficult situations that in the end "everything will be all right".

Ahō-Idiot, fool; stronger than "baka". Often used by those from Osaka, but not limited to that there.

Akasaka Ward-Akasaka ward, or district, is a neighboring ward to the Minato Ward. In Meiji Era the Akasaka ward was a shopping and residential area that had a large hill.

Baka-Idiot, dummy, stupid

Battōjutsu-According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." It is Kenshin's trademark technique and the reason why he was called Battōsai, as Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu move.

Earthy- One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Earthy is one of the two cards that Kero needs Sakura to capture before he can transform into his final form. Earthy can control the earth and cause earthquakes.

Fiery- One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Fiery is one of the two cards that Kero needs Sakura to capture before he can transform into his final form. Fiery can control the flames.

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Gomenasai-Sorry, I'm sorry; a slightly formal apology used only with friends and family

Hai-Yes

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. Hakama have ties at the waist that are tied and act like a modern belt. To the sides there are large triangle shaped holes that show the gi underneath.

Hotaru-Firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Jufu-a slip of enchanted paper that Syaoran uses, in conjunction with his sword, to use magic.

Katsura-The young leader of the Chōshū Ishin Shishi (Chōshū was the name of a region in Japan) who is based on a real historical figure of the Bakumatsu. In the RK universe, he asked Kenshin to become a hitokiri for the Ishin Shishi. He is a kind mentor to Kenshin, but, as in the case in real life, he died by the 11th year of Meiji.

Kuso-general Japanese expletive that can be translated as "shit"

Nani-What

Ne-Right? Isn't it? When attached to the end of a statement, it turns it into a question. "Ne" asks for confirmation or agreement. It is used in situations in which the person speaking is asking if what they said was correct and/or if the person they were talking to agrees with what was said.

Ōkubo Toshimichi-Based on a real historical figure of Japan. He was a leader of the Ishin Shishi from the province Satsuma who became a major official of the Meiji government. He was the Chief of the Department of Internal Affairs. The manga declared him as the most important man in Japan because of the political power he welded.

Rashinban-Literally means compass; It is a magical compass that is more similar to a board that was created Clow Reed. It was passed down through Syaoran's family. The Rashinban releases beams of light that direct the user to Clow Cards, however it does not point out the exact location of Clow Cards, only approximate locations. Syaoran uses the Rashinban to locate Clow Cards. When there is a lot of magical presence throughout the area, the Rashinban becomes useless.

Ryūkansen-Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move that is often used as a counter to a thrust or charge. The user sidesteps an attack, spins around, and swings the sword at the opponent, adding momentum and centrifugal force to the blow.

Shukuchi-literally means reduced earth. According to the manga it is, "footwork that depends upon extremely powerful legs to take one instantly to maximum speed, penetrating the opponent's zone. …When properly performed, to normal eyes it appears as though some 'magic' has been used to 'shrink' the earth itself, allowing the user to travel with impossible quickness."

Shukuchi-literally means reduced earth. According to the manga it is, "footwork that depends upon extremely powerful legs to take one instantly to maximum speed, penetrating the opponent's zone. …When properly performed, to normal eyes it appears as though some 'magic' has been used to 'shrink' the earth itself, allowing the user to travel with impossible quickness."

Watery- One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Watery is aggressive water female spirit that can control water.

Zōri-Japanese sandals that flip flops were based off of.

* * *

Already you can tell there are some differences between the original storyline in the manga and in this story, but those mostly came about because I'm trying to condense the beginning of the Kyoto Arc. Sakura having visions during the day isn't one of her powers, I'm pretty sure, but it makes sense that her powers will continue to develop, right? Because the original series doesn't explain much about the actual properties of magic, I'm going to take the liberty of filling in the holes as it will be important in the story. Just a warning. Right now the story is filled with angst/drama, but it won't stay that way for too long.

Hello, yasha! (Chapter 8) It's all right. I'm just happy to know that you are still thinking of and reading my story (and reviewing!). I don't know how exactly the Jin-e chapter went from really dark and depressing to lighthearted and romantic, but I'm happy with the results. And I'm very happy to hear you think so, too, especially since that means you must like Kenshin and Kaoru. Or were you talking about the short scene between Syaoran and Sakura? (Or both?) Since I knew the chapter was going to end with Kenshin and Kaoru, I couldn't leave Sakura and Syaoran out of the relationship building, so I added that scene. (Chapter 9) Thanks! I think it's sweet, too. I'm glad you liked that line. No, really, it's all right. I really very much appreciate that you are making the effort to review even when you don't have to and normally don't do so. Telling me what you like, or don't like, is exactly what I want to hear! (Chapter 10) Yup, on both accounts! But especially Kenshin and Kaoru, as with them on can have them develop from meeting to attraction to getting to know each other to wanting to make the other happy, etc. This is why I have a bit of trouble writing Syaoran and Sakura love scenes, because Syaoran confessed his love for Sakura already before the story began. But I'm managing. Syaoran doesn't normally tease, but he does in this story for two reasons. It's a sort of compromise between being friends and enemies with Kenshin. And also, it's a sign that he's starting to see Kenshin in the same light as a certain little girl views Kenshin… I'm so very happy to hear that the chapter was your favorite, since I know you said that you love this story! There will be more upcoming relationship development, but that may be a while yet. Right now things are falling apart… Thank you for reviewing! P.S. I'm assuming that since you didn't comment about my changing the format of the dictionary that you don't mind me changing it despite not being familiar with the two series. You are okay with it, right?

Next Chapter: Kenshin's fiercest enemy from the Bakumatsu appears at the dojo to challenge Kenshin and bring out the Battōsai from within Kenshin! Enter Saitō Hajime, third captain of the Shinsengumi, the wolf of Mibu!


	12. Shadow and Light!

Here is the fight between Kenshin and Saitō! Since I think it's one of the best fights in the entire series, the fight is similar to the original, but I have shortened it a lit, embellished, and made it a bit more realistic. But it's from Saitō's PoV! And I've introduced a very real threat to Sakura and Kenshin. This is my first time writing from Saitō's PoV, so if you think he is a little OoC, please let me know! (Again there is some cursing in this chapter. Why I warn you when this is a Teen rated, I don't know but I did it last time so whatever. Just equate Saitō with cursing.) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and Cardcaptor Sakura or any of the other characters in the series.

* * *

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Shadow and Light!

Seeing Kenshin's shocked expression brought a devilish smile to Saitō's face. And to think it was so easy for him to invade Kenshin's precious dojo earlier…

Before Kenshin had arrived, Saitō sat in front of the sword set on display in the back of the Kamiya dojo. Sliding his sword out of his sheath with one hand, Saitō brushed his fingers of his other hand along the sword. After ten years, he would finally face hitokiri Battōsai. As he slid his sword in his sheath, Saitō thought, _Of course, that's only after I push him enough that he'll drop his rurouni persona and become Battōsai again._

The last time Saitō and Kenshin had dueled had been ten years ago during the Bakumatsu. Back then, Saitō had been the captain of the third Shinsengumi unit, a military police force of the shogun. Battōsai, an assassin for the Ishin Shishi, was Saitō's greatest enemy. Throughout the years of the Bakumatsu they had fought on several occasions, but they were never able to complete their duel. As time passed and the Meiji era began, Saitō changed his name to Fujita Gorō and became a police officer. While people left their old lives full of blood in favor of heading towards a future of peace, Saitō refused to forget his past as a member of the Shinsengumi and continued to live by their motto:

 _Aku Soku Zan_. Swift Death to Evil.

Saitō turned his head to the side to listen to the kendo instructor woman scold her student. "What's wrong, Yahiko? You haven't had your heart in your training these past couple of days."

As per his new mission, Saitō arrived at the dojo about an hour ago, using an excuse that someone was after Kenshin's life to let himself in. Unfortunately, Kenshin had stepped out of the dojo to, of all things, go shopping. Worse, he had overheard that the laundry hanging on the line outside was washed by Kenshin. Pathetic. Has this been what the great and fearsome hitokiri Battōsai had become? A housewife? Did Kenshin honestly believe that if he waved around his sakabatō and pretended to be kind he could change his killing nature? The very thought was absurd. No matter what mask he hid behind, Kenshin's heart and soul would always be that of a bloody hitokiri. Saitō smirked as he thought, _As I shall demonstrate today, the day we'll finally finish our duel, the day the Shinsengumi will at last top its greatest enemy._

That is, as soon as Kenshin finished his little shopping trip. _I should just kill him now to spare him from the humiliation of running fool's errands._

Putting down his shinai, Yahiko sighed. "Sorry, Kaoru. It's just that… I heard that Tsubame's grandmother in Kyoto is sick. Her family moved to Kyoto a couple days ago to take care of her. I don't know when I'll see Tsubame again…"

"Oh, Yahiko, I'm sorry…" Kaoru walked over to Yahiko and placed her hand on his shoulder. "But think of it this way. You can use this time to get stronger and impress Tsubame when she comes back." Yahiko mumbled something under his breath as he lowered his head.

 _Is he going to cry?_ Saitō sneered. _The company the 'rurouni' keeps these days is almost as pitiful as he is._

Everyone looked up when the former fighting merchant Sanosuke opened the shoji doors to the dojo. "Sakura and Li are back but there's no Kenshin. They're saying something's wrong."

 _Has Shishio already made his move? Damn, he's moving far faster than we anticipated…_ Saitō narrowed his eyes. _If you die before I kill you, Battōsai, I won't forgive you._ Following Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sano outside, Saitō faced two young children wearing the strangest clothes he had ever seen in his life.

As Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sano approached the duo, Saitō heard a gasp and saw a blur of yellow movement by the girl's hat. Before he could wonder about what had just occurred, the boy ran up to Kaoru. "Kaoru-san! Is everything all right here?"

Startled by the boy's forcefulness, Kaoru stammered, "Y-Yes, kind of. Are the two of you okay? Where's Kenshin?"

"He's going after-" the brown haired boy paused when he spied Saitō. "Who are you?"

"Don't worry about that, Syaoran-kun." The girl with a bonnet/hat thing on her head took a tentative step forward. "Everyone, we have to go back and help. We're the only ones who can," the girl said, giving Kaoru a meaningful look. Kaoru sighed, slumping her shoulders. After a moment, she warned them to be careful. The girl and boy named Syaoran nodded. Syaoran took the girl's hand in his and ran out of the dojo gates.

Watching them leave, Saitō pulled a cigarette out of a pocket, lit it, and put it in his mouth. _So soon? Well, it'll be interesting to see how Battōsai deals with the situation. It's unfortunate that I won't be able to witness it firsthand, but I'll certainly get to see the results…_

Sanosuke turned to Saitō and raised his fist at him. "Hey, you're some police officer, ain't ya? You said someone was after Kenshin's life so get your butt in gear and go help!"

"Stop it, you idiot!" Yahiko cried, "Didn't you just hear what Sakura said? Or did you not realize what she meant, moron? You know none of us can do anything."

At Yahiko's words, Kaoru lowered her head. Saitō studied her. _Is she just concerned because she is Battōsai's lover or something else?_ Further examination revealed a guilty gleam in her eyes. _Oh, so she's one of "them" too… How intriguing._

"So we're just supposed to stay here and wait? Yeah right." While Sanosuke's words were harsh, Saitō could tell his heart wasn't in it. After a moment of silence, he kicked one of the pillar supporting the roof of the dojo. Immediately, Kaoru's head snapped up and she began to berate Sanosuke, shouting that she would make him pay for the damages. Sanosuke ignored her and stepped outside the gates, presumably acting as a watchdog for Kenshin.

Saitō, Kaoru, and Yahiko returned inside the dojo. Kaoru and Yahiko resumed their lesson, only this time, Yahiko was much more serious. Saitō snorted. _As if those weaklings could possibly even match the strength or courage of warriors from the Bakumatsu. Ignorant fools that play soldier during a time of peace only serve to insult those of us who actually fought in war._

It wasn't very long before Sanosuke's cries rang throughout the dojo. Yet again Syaoran and Sakura returned without Kenshin, only this time, the two of them were quite a deal more shell shocked and frightened. Judging from the looks of shock and horror on both of their faces and the puffy red eyes of the girl, Saitō began to believe Kenshin had met his match. Fortunately, his worry was put to rest when Syaoran stated that Kenshin was on his way back to the dojo. It took Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke a full ten minutes to calm the duo down enough from their near hysterical state. Eager for Kenshin's return, Saitō sat in front of the sword on display in the dojo, waiting.

Without turning around, when Saitō heard the shoji doors sliding open Saitō knew he had finally make arrived. Time that had frozen for ten years began to tick again. A wolfish smile on his face, Saitō stood up. Turning around, Saitō beheld the former assassin before him.

Kenshin stood stock still with his eyes locked on Saitō, his face going completely white. In the next moment, however, his eyes hardened and narrowed, fire of rage glowing deep within. Battōsai's rage. Saitō smirked and flicked his cigarette to the ground. _It's good to know that just my presence already has this much effect on him._ Saitō grinned. "It's been ten years since we last fought. Ten years is long enough time to make a man rot, eh, 'rurouni' hitokiri Battōsai?"

Everyone in the dojo aside from Kenshin turned their attention to Saitō, eyes wide. Kenshin's only response was to tighten his grip on the sakabatō. _Yes, that's it, Battōsai… prepare yourself._

Taking a confident step forward, his hand still remaining on the sakabatō hilt, Kenshin said, "Saitō Hajime, leader of the third captain of the Shinsengumi, what possible reason could you have to deceive Kaoru-dono and the others?" The residents of the dojo's gasps betrayed their shock. If they were as soft as Battōsai had grown recently, like Saitō suspected they were, they must be horrified at the thought of trusting a former Shinsengumi, Kenshin's worst enemy.

Saitō scoffed, "Why, I thought it was obvious, Battōsai."

"If you are looking for the shadows of the past, then you will not find it here, that you won't," Kenshin said, his eyes narrowing further.

"Oh really?" taunted Saitō. "Because I see the one of the greatest shadow hitokiri standing right before me. And no matter how much he may try, he will never see the light of day, because by his very nature he is darkness incarnate."

Kenshin inclined his head slightly, making his eyes partly covered by his bangs. "Shadows do not exist without light, Saitō. And while this one may walk a path of darkness, this one will never stop searching for the light that creates the darkness hoping one day he will reach that light," said Kenshin, conviction lining his words.

"'Searching for the light that creates the darkness' you say?" Saitō threw back his head and laughed. "I figured your sword had gone dull, but I never expected your head had as well!" Ignoring the others' sputtering, Saitō continued, "We, the Shinsengumi, who fought the hitokiri Battōsai, know Battōsai's strength more than anyone else. But to hear you spout such poetry and idealism and see you actually believe in it, or at least are so desperate to believe they are truth… it just shows me how much weaker you've become." Kenshin's shoulders tensed slightly.

"W-Weak?!" Kaoru cried. She empathetically gestured with her hands to emphasis her point. "You have no right to just barge in here and throw around accusations against-!"

"Oh?" replied Saitō, rubbing his chin in thought. "I thought you were the one who invited me in the dojo. Quite cordially too, I might add, when I mentioned that someone was after Battōsai's life. Perhaps you were concerned he might need some… assistance in dispatching said threat?" Kaoru's eyes dimmed no doubt in correspondence with her growing guilt.

Furious, Sano raised a fist at Saitō and took several steps forward. "Listen here, you lying backstabbing traitor! I-"

" _Mou ii_ , Sano," Kenshin raised an arm to his side, blocking Sano's forward advancement. Turning to look at Saitō, Kenshin said in a low tone of voice, "Saitō, say whatever you wish. In this new peaceful Meiji era, it's enough to have the rurouni's strength to protect to those who require it. A hitokiri's strength to kill isn't needed."

 _Peaceful, is it? I think even despite a lack of knowledge of Shishio, I know you can attest to a very different story._ Saitō pointed to his chest as he pronounced, "If you continue on that path, then you'll invariably see that you are a failure as a rurouni."

 _That_ grabbed Kenshin's attention. His eyes widened in surprise and his mouth parted.

 _And now to drive the final nail in the coffin._ Saitō grinned with all the feral glee of a wolf about to tear into its prey. "Five months ago, a visit to your hometown led to a series of events in which you met a young girl. A young girl whom a lot of dangerous people have been chasing…"

Kenshin gasped in horror. "Shishio…" he murmured. The young girl in question grabbed Kenshin's hakama, seeking for reassurance. Kenshin was too preoccupied to notice.

Saitō answered, "Yes, Shishio. Our intelligence indicated that a burst of activity of Shishio's men in the past few months is because they are searching for one person. Someone who goes by the name of 'Cardcaptor'." Everyone gasped. Sakura scrunched her eyes close and leaned against Kenshin's leg. Saitō shook his head in mock sadness as he recounted, "The government has spent all their resources hunting down this Cardcaptor. If the government should capture this Cardcaptor before Shishio, it would be the perfect bait to lure Shishio out of hiding." Saitō grinned as he declared, "And I have no doubt that this girl, who has been in your custody these past several months, is the one. After all, she bears a wand of… let's say magical proportions."

"Damn it!" cursed Kenshin. Without taking his eyes off of Saitō, he ordered, "Sano, Li-kun, get ready to take Sakura-chan and Kaoru-dono and run." At Kenshin's announcement, everyone besides Saitō turned to stare at Kenshin with a mixture of confusion and fear on their faces. Narrowing his eyes, Kenshin hissed at Saitō, "And how have you come to this conclusion?"

Saitō smiled, pleased at his progress of breaking the barriers around Kenshin. _More, more… I must press harder… until he cracks and becomes the deadly Battōsai again._ "In investigating the reports of my spies, I learned of a village that had been plagued with a large bird. A young girl and small yellow creature had then subjugated this bird." Saitō waved his hand in the air as though unconcerned. "I was ready to dismiss this supposed incident as nothing more than preposterous tales made up by self-righteous villagers with nothing else to entertain them in their boring, uneventful lives… until I heard of the girl vanishing with a red headed man…"

Kenshin visibly flinched. Sakura wrapped herself around Kenshin's leg while Syaoran placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Syaoran glared at Saitō, daring him to approach her. Besides Syaoran, Yahiko fingered his shinai and Sano cracked his knuckles. Both of them glanced back and forth between Kenshin and Saitō, trying to determine whether or not they should stand and fight or retreat like Kenshin asked. Kaoru only watched Kenshin, concerned for him.

Saitō digested all of this information without missing a beat. "Intrigued, I tried to locate either the girl or the man for the next several months but the both of them had disappeared… and reappeared at a small dojo in Tokyo. Yet again strange happenings began to occur. Witnesses tell of a fight between a merchant for hire who had abilities that were larger than life and a red headed man who seemed to be able to control the wind. Or what about when a giant tree mysteriously grew at the dojo then went missing, all within just one hour? And best of all, the cries of a man in agony speaking to no one at all in a forest at night, swinging his sword at nothing but the air?"

A flicker of fear crossed Kenshin's face as the realization hit him: he had never been strong enough to protect Sakura's identity from the world. A world that was just moments away from pouncing on him and the girl and anyone else that should happen to be close to them.

"All of this points to something… magical." Saitō hesitated as he chose his words. Only recently he had realized this himself, despite all of the overwhelming evidence he had accumulated that suggested magic existed, and it was still hard for him to swallow. However, the ghastly looks on everyone else's faces proved he was correct. Confident in his assessment, Saitō taunted, "I know Battōsai doesn't have such an ability, therefore it must be the young girl who always hides in his shadow. Unless…" paused, Saitō as a horrible thought occurred to him. "…Battōsai has had this power all along and that is secret behind his strength. Is that the true strength that you have vowed against?"

Unspeakable fury burned in Kenshin's eyes. His left hand gripped his sakabatō hilt until his knuckles were white. "You know as well as this one that is not the case."

Unable to remain silent any more, Yahiko threw his arm out to the side and shouted, "Shut up! You don't know anything. Kenshin is a swordsman, through and through. The very best! It is because of him protecting everyone with the sakabatō that nobody died!"

Saitō grabbed his sword and sheath. With a tug, he pulled it out of his Western belt of the police uniform and threw the sheath to the ground. "It is only a matter of time before the government learns about the girl's identity and her abilities, so tell me… with Shishio and his men hunting you and the government using all of its forces to obtain the girl, what guarantee is there that it'll stay that way?"

The spark of fire in Kenshin's eyes faded as it was replaced with a look of sadness. He closed his eyes momentarily before his determination returned. "No matter what you say, no matter what the circumstances are, no matter what the consequences are, this one refuses to take another person's life."

"Fool," Saitō spat. "Truly your head has rotted if you can drown yourself in phony righteousness and still not see your own folly. It fills me with disgust." Saitō held his sword vertically in front of his face. "Have you forgotten? 'Swift death to evil'. That was the code of justice common to both the Shinsengumi and to the hitokiri. But if you still continue to cling to a fake sense of justice of your no killing vow…" Saitō turned sideways with his sword held in front of him, the sword pointing at Kenshin. "Then come." Saitō slid his hand down the sword as he crouched and bent forward slightly, leaning over his sword. He was ready to thrust his sword into Kenshin's chest and kill him.

"I will deny everything that you are."

Silence filled the dojo as everyone waited to see how Kenshin would react. The silence hummed in everyone's ears, slowly growing louder until it seemed to consume the very world itself. Under such an incredible burden of possible exposure and exploitation, Kenshin's actions would decide and seal his and Sakura's fate. Would he turn himself and Sakura in for the sake of keeping his non-killing vow? Would he run? Or would he stand and fight?

Kenshin hesitated as though he sensed the enormity of the situation and the possible consequences of his decision. He closed his eyes, before opening them yet again, his inner fire returning. He took a step forward and put his right hand on the sakabatō hilt, ready to draw it. Saitō smiled, knowing that fighting would have been Kenshin's choice all along. Kenshin's pride simply would not allow him to run from the chance to protect others. His pride outweighed the cowardly rurouni who had run from his true nature for ten long years.

Kenshin paused, noticing Sakura clutching his leg for the first time. Silently, he unwrapped Sakura's arms and handed her to Syaoran. Syaoran made a noise of protest when Kenshin at first, but he accepted Sakura in a hug without further complaint. Syaoran watched Kenshin, fearful of what was about to occur. Yet again, Kenshin tried to step forward, when Kaoru grabbed a part of Kenshin's gi. After a moment, she lowered her head to rest on Kenshin's back. Saitō saw Kenshin freeze at her touch. "Kaoru-dono…"

"Don't…" she murmured. "If you leave it, it feels like the Kenshin I know…" Kaoru audibly swallowed. "…won't come back. So please listen to me. Don't do this."

Kenshin hung his head, his expression unreadable through his bangs covering his face. "This fight is unavoidable." Without another word, Kenshin stepped to the side, and Saitō and Kenshin began to circle each other.

Little did Kenshin know that by ignoring the people he called his friends and fighting Saitō, Saitō could recognize signs of Battōsai emerging. All life was precious in Kenshin's eyes, but for the sake of a greater goal, Kenshin had taken up killing in the Bakumatsu… a situation Saitō was trying to recreate for Kenshin here and now. Kenshin was a hitokiri. A hitokiri's bloodlust was in his nature. He could protect no one in the vicious cutthroat and backstabbing world without killing. If Kenshin wished to protect Sakura from the government and Shishio, he had to throw away his vow, flip around the sakabatō, descend into the deepest recesses of his mind and heart and admit that Battōsai lived.

Battōsai lived to fight Saitō and the Shinsengumi.

Saitō entered his thrusting pose he had assumed earlier and lunged at Kenshin. Dodging, Kenshin jumped high into the air. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūtsuisen!" Kenshin began to unsheathe his sakabatō from the hilt in his hands.

"Don't think you can evade me so easily, Battōsai!" screamed Saitō. Leaning his entire body into the strike, Saitō thrusted his sword up at Kenshin's chest. Kenshin's eyes widened as Saitō's sword met its mark, and blood poured from the wound.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru screamed.

Gravity overtook Kenshin and he fell to the ground. Once he landed, he kicked out a foot to trip Saitō. Predicting Kenshin's moves with ease, Saitō dodged by jumping to the side as Kenshin fell. Saitō countered with a large gaping slash to Kenshin's chest. Before Kenshin could recover, Saitō roundhouse kicked Kenshin's head. Kenshin flew across the dojo from the force of the blow. Only by rolling did Kenshin regain his feet. Clutching his side, Kenshin breathed heavily.

 _How was Battōsai able to move so quickly despite being wounded?_ A closer examination of Kenshin revealed the answer. At the last moment before Saitō landed his thrust, Kenshin had twisted his body to the side to prevent injury to his chest. It had instead only pierced Kenshin's side. Judging by Kenshin's raspy breathing, Saitō wondered if his thrust had punctured a lung. The thought made him smirk. "Come on, Battōsai. Surely you wouldn't let this beat you already?" After all, Saitō had been using his trusty Gatotsu, a move Kenshin had faced many times before.

The only answer Kenshin gave Saitō was a deep scowl as he ran towards Saitō with inhuman speed. Saitō saw a blur of movement heading towards his chest and thrusted his sword, hitting nothing but air. _What?!_ Sensing more than seeing, Saitō knew Kenshin must be attacking from below. Resorting to the only option available, dodging was impossible, Saitō kicked Kenshin in the face. Kenshin's head snapped up, cutting off his cry. Yet again, Kenshin was sent across the dojo, skidding on the floor.

Kenshin staggered to his feet, his sword hand low to the ground. Panting heavily, Kenshin wiped the blood from his mouth as he brought his ragged breathing under control. He raised his head and glared at Saitō, his confidence and determination returning. It was a look Saitō had seen many times in the Bakumatsu when he had faced Kenshin. Coupled with an increase of speed despite a deep wound to his chest… _It's just like I thought. Every time he wields a sword, unknowingly but inexorably, he reenters his soul from ten years ago… and becomes hitokiri Battōsai!_ Saitō chortled to himself. _It was all too easy to revive_ _Battōsai_ _._ Crouching into a fighting stance, Saitō raised his sword above his head and a little to the side. His fingers of his right hand hovered near the point of this sword. _Now I can face the man I fought all those years ago._ Saitō yelled, "This is the true Gatotsu! I won't hold back!"

Yahiko annoyingly echoed, "Y'mean he's been holding back?!"

Saitō thrusted at Kenshin yet again. Kenshin stood, watching Saitō, completely expressionless. Just before Saitō would have skewered Kenshin's face, Kenshin sidestepped. He spun on his foot, sakabatō in hand. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūkansen!" With a cry, Kenshin turned a full circle and smashed the sakabatō against the back of Saitō's head. Saitō crashed into the dojo wall, breaking and splintering it into pieces. He fell through the hole his body created and onto the engawa. Pain exploded throughout him.

Suppressing a moan, Saitō brought a hand to the side of his head. Kenshin's voice floated through his hazy conscious. In a slightly mocking tone, Kenshin said, "However strong the Gatotsu may be, when shown three times in a few minutes, any idiot can come up with a few ways to counter it." Kenshin chuckled, "In fact, I just used that move on one of Shishio's men. If you think yourself above them, then get up, Saitō. A ten year duel can't end this quickly."

Saitō rubbed the back of his head. _If he had been using a real sword, I would have been dead._ The thought enraged him. _Does he think that he can beat me as the pitiful, dishonorable, worthless rurouni?! Bullshit!_ Standing up, Saitō stepped through the hole. Laughing to himself as blood flowed down his face, Saitō grinned, "I'm going to kill you."

Kenshin snorted in contempt. "Quit posing. You know I'm the one who will kill you."

It seemed his lover had different ideas. Kaoru drew in a startled breath and fell to her knees, clutching her kimono by her chest in her hand. Tears streamed down her face as she whimpered, "It's just like Jin-e… Kenshin, you have to stop!" She choked back a sob. "Or else you'll do something you'll regret for the rest of your life!"

From the burning look in Kenshin's eyes, Saitō knew he was too focused on their duel to even acknowledge Kaoru's outburst. Kenshin flipped the sakabatō around. Saitō smiled. _Now our duel can truly begin, Battōsai._

As Kenshin and Saitō circled each other again Yahiko shouted, "We can't let it go on like this! We have to stop them!" Yahiko waved his shinai and grabbed Sano's sleeve with one hand.

Sano shook his head. "We can't. It's impossible. Kenshin and Saitō are back in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu, not Tokyo in Meiji. Our voices won't reach them no matter how loud we call if we try to run in and stop the fight. The only one who can is someone who lived through the Bakumatsu, someone who experienced the havoc in Kyoto."

It was indeed as the fighting merchant said. In Saitō's eyes it was as if the dojo had slipped away, replaced with the blood soaked streets of Kyoto. The full moon hung in the air, lighting the two warriors of that were one of the greatest of their respective sides of the Bakumatsu. Saitō no longer saw the rurouni Kenshin, but a young boy with his hair pulled into a high ponytail, a haunted and chilly look in his eyes. He gripped his bloody sword at his side and corpses of the people he just killed lay at his feet. At the same time, the rurouni Kenshin at the dojo and the image of the boy hitokiri lunged at Saitō. Saitō ran to meet him, sword at the ready.

Their swords clashed for a moment before Kenshin and Saitō passed one another. Saitō's sword was cut in half, the end of the sword clattering to the ground. Kenshin remarked, "Next, I'll make your head fly." He spoke in a completely blasé tone as though he was merely stating a fact.

"If you think this will stop me, you've got another thing coming." Still clutching his half of the broken sword, Saitō charged at Kenshin yet again, about to use the Gatotsu.

"Feh," Kenshin scoffed. "The Shinsengumi never knew when to retreat."

Thrusting at Kenshin's shoulder, Saitō declared, "The first rule of the Shinsengumi is to act in a manner befitting a samurai!"

Refusing to allow a window of opportunity for Saitō, Kenshin parried Saitō's sword with the back of his free hand. Raising his the sakabatō above his head, Kenshin scorned, "Choosing your pride as a Shinsengumi over your life. Works for me."

Time seemed to slow down as Saitō whipped his belt, smacking Kenshin's sword hand. Kenshin dropped the sakabatō, caught completely off guard. Saitō landed a series of hard blows with his fist to Kenshin's wounded chest. Blood flew from Kenshin's mouth as time sped up once more.

"Kenshin!" Yahiko cried.

Sano gasped, "He's got no chance without a sword!"

Kenshin stumbled around for a bit, too stunned to counter. "This…" Saitō took off his police officer jacket and wrapped it across Kenshin's neck, "…is the end!" Choking, Kenshin grasped the police jacket with both of his hands.

"Is he trying to strangle him to death?" Syaoran asked, horrified.

"Nothing so passive," answered Sano. "Saitō's trying to break Kenshin's neck."

Saitō watched Kenshin raise his hand in the air. "It's useless, Battōsai! Accept your fate!" Ignoring Saitō, Kenshin lowered his hand to his sheath. With all the force he could muster, Kenshin rammed the end of his sheath up to nail Saitō in the face.

Grunting, Saitō let go of his jacket and his hold on Kenshin, freeing him. The two jumped back, putting distance between them. They both panted heavily as they stared each other down.

The boy holding the Cardcaptor murmured, "Is this what Bakumatsu is like…? Fighting with every resource available, nothing held back?"

"What's going on now?" Yahiko asked.

"Neither of them has any strength left," explained Sano. "The next strike will be the last. Life or death until one of them or both of them dies," he whispered. Yahiko watched Kenshin and Saitō, frozen into place. At the mention of Kenshin possibly dying, Syaoran hugged Sakura harder, turning her away. She buried her face into Syaoran's shoulder and closed her eyes.

Saitō cracked his knuckles. "Shall we, Battōsai?" Holding his metal sakabatō sheath like a sword, Kenshin nodded.

"No…" Kaoru whispered. "I can't take this any longer…" Jumping her to feet, Kaoru ran towards Kenshin, her hand reaching out to him. "Kenshin!" Just as Kaoru was about to touch Kenshin, he and Saitō charged at each other, shouting battle cries.

"NOOO!" screamed Kaoru.

"Stop!"

Saitō and Kenshin halted. The twisted their heads toward the shoji doors as an older man in a government uniform stood in the entrance way. "Snap out of it, Saitō! Your orders were to evaluate Battōsai's strength, not kill him!"

At this point, Saitō didn't give a damn about his orders. He was going to kill Battōsai for the glory of the Shinsengumi, even if it meant his own death in the process. "This is what I have lived for. I won't allow even you, Kawaji, the superintendent-general to interfere."

"Now isn't the time to be fighting!" Kawaji scolded. "One of Shishio's men just assassinated Ōkubo-sama!"

"What?!" Ōkubo Toshimichi assassinated? Shocked, Saitō straightened and lowered his fists. Without Ōkubo to lead, Japan would descend into the hell Shishio wished for. _Damn it all!_ Saitō glanced at Kenshin, wondering if the reason why Kenshin was so delayed in returning to the dojo was related to Ōkubo. Kenshin dipped his head and turned away slightly. Saitō's eyes widened as he beheld a large slash on Kenshin's back. _So he did engage one of Shishio's henchmen! Don't tell me… I fought Battōsai in a weakened state? This was not an equal match from the start?_ Saitō clenched his fists. _Does that mean this fight was for nothing?!_ Rage coursing through him, Saitō barked at Kenshin, "What happened? Couldn't you and the girl have done something?"

"It was too late," Kenshin said quietly. "I did fight Seta Sōjirō, a subordinate of Shishio, but that was only after Ōkubo-sama had already…"

"Why didn't you tell me, Battōsai?!" snarled Saitō.

Eyes flashing in anger, Kenshin wheeled towards Saitō, brandishing his sheath. "I was trying to protect my friends, but you-!"

"Enough!" Kawaji stepped forward, raising his hands in the air. "There is much to discuss and too little time." Kenshin's friends eyed him with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety.

Saitō spat some blood on the ground. Picking up his jacket off the ground and throwing it over his shoulder, Saitō turned to the shoji doors. "It looks like our duel is suddenly a conversation. We'll have to wait for another occasion, Battōsai."

As Saitō headed out the door, Kawaji called out to him. "Saitō. Mission report."

Saitō didn't even pause in his stride; he was that confident in his answer. "Himura Kenshin is useless. But Himura Battōsai may still have something to offer." Ignoring Kawaji protest's for more information, Saitō stepped off the engawa.

Yet again a voice stopped Saitō. Kenshin asked, "Do they know?"

Saitō realized Kenshin was referring to the government learning of Sakura's identity as the Cardcaptor. The thought that the government would have to use a child in order to bait a psychotic man went against Saitō's definition of samurai honor, but currently they only had a few options. Knowing thus, Saitō answered honestly, "No. Only I know. But I may be forced to reveal my hand if the need arises. If you care about her, don't let that occur."

Without waiting to hear Kenshin's answer, Saitō exited the Kamiya grounds. Heading deeper into the darkness, Saitō murmured to himself, "This wolf of Mibu has some prowling to do…"

* * *

Incredible. That was the only word that could have described it all. It was the only word that could have described the fight with that man who possessed two Clow Cards, learning that a user of the Clow Cards killed someone, and the duel between Kenshin and Saitō. Syaoran largely felt numb, but in the back of his mind he was already making parallels between this disaster and the tragedy that befell Sakura in Kenshin's hometown. Yet again he had failed in protecting Sakura. Sakura, who was still in his arms, buried herself deeper into his shoulder, sniffing.

 _No! I have to be stronger! For Sakura… and for the kidnapper…_ Lifting his head, Syaoran tried to understand what was occurring around him. It seemed the man who had entered the dojo and stopped the fight was saying that he wanted to talk to Kenshin alone.

"Not a chance," Kenshin replied. "I-" For some reason, Kenshin's eyes widened and he gasped in surprise. For some inexplicable reason, Kenshin punched himself in the face. "This incident has already involved…" Kenshin lowered his bloody fist to stare at Kawaji. "…this one's friends. You will talk with all of us here, that you will."

Crying tears of joy, Kaoru flung herself at Kenshin and crushed him in a brutal hug. "Kenshin! You're back! Thank goodness!"

"O-Ororo…" Kenshin's balance faltered at the pain lancing through his body from Kaoru's embrace. As Kaoru demanded someone find some bandages and Sano ran to get them, Sakura let go of Syaoran for the first time. Determined, Sakura slowly and meaningfully walked to Kenshin. For a time, Sakura eyed the bleeding wounds Kenshin had received. "S…Sakura-chan…?" Kenshin asked, hesitantly.

Sakura clenched her fists at her side. Despite the tears on her face, her eyes lit up with anger. "… _Baka_." Kenshin froze for a moment, but lowered his head afterwards, admitting defeat. Without another word, Sakura pivoted on her heel and left the dojo.

Unsure of what to do, Syaoran remained rooted to the spot. _Did she just-? But she would never… So why?_ Sano quickly returned with the medicine kit in hand. Syaoran wanted to help bandage Kenshin; he was wounded from trying to protect everyone after all, but… Everyone began to gather around Kawaji. It seemed like he about to explain the situation, something that was critically important. The Clow Cards were the cause of these events. Syaoran felt honor bond to stay and see this through. _But what about Sakura?_

Syaoran looked up to see Kenshin grab Kaoru's arm to get her attention and the two conversed in hushed tones. It appeared that Kenshin was begging Kaoru to do something. Kaoru nodded once. Walking over to Syaoran with a small smile on her face, Kaoru said gently, "Li-kun, mind if I watch over Sakura-chan for you?" Syaoran paused, before he nodded at Sakura's older sister. At the doorway, Kaoru turned to see Kenshin's back, worry creasing her face into lines. She glanced over at Syaoran. Trying to smile reassuringly, Syaoran puffed out his chest and placed his hand over his heart. Kaoru smiled gratefully at his silent message and left.

Running over to Kenshin, Syaoran sat down at his side. Feeling Kenshin's tension roll off of him in waves, Syaoran stiffened. He had to suppress a shudder when he recalled the recent fight in the dojo. If there were any doubts that the gentle rurouni who folded people's underwear, was the hitokiri Battōsai, killer of hundreds, they were long gone now.

Without looking at Syaoran, Kenshin whispered, "Are you afraid?"

"…Yes," Syaoran admitted after a pause. "I'm afraid for Sakura, the dojo, and what's going to happen now that 'they'," Syaoran said referring to the Clow Cards, "…have done that."

Syaoran realized from the outset that Kenshin was really asking if Syaoran was afraid of Kenshin. In all honesty, yes, he was a little. He wasn't frightened of Himura Kenshin, but of what he used to be. The transformation between the smiling, kind person Sakura dubbed as her older brother into a cold and deadly hitokiri was so complete and sudden. And yet, Sakura's words that Kenshin wasn't Battōsai anymore echoed through his head. Out of the corner of his eyes, Syaoran eyed the bandaged wounds Kenshin had received while fighting that man, Saitō. _Is that really case, I wonder. Maybe he's really both. A rurouni and killer deep down._ Still… "If she could, Sakura would be here right by your side. So I will take her place. I'm not leaving you." Hearing Syaoran's declaration, Kenshin's face softened. He mumbled something directed at Syaoran but Syaoran couldn't quite make it out.

Before Syaoran could ask Kenshin to repeat himself, Kawaji cleared his throat. "We don't have any time to waste, so I won't mince my words. Shishio Makoto plots in Kyoto."

Besides Kenshin, Sano spoke up, "And who the hell is this Shishio guy?"

"Yeah, and why is he so important?" asked Yahiko, who crossed his arms.

Eyes widening in surprise, Kenshin muttered, "This one remembers now…" Speaking loud enough for Sano, Yahiko, Syaoran, and Kawaji to hear, Kenshin explained, "After a year of being the hitokiri Battōsai, this one became a freelance swordsman for the Ishin Shishi who fought more in the open against the Shinsengumi. Shishio was this one's successor as the hitokiri." Turning to Kawaji, Kenshin asked, "But this one thought he died fighting in the Bakumatsu…" Kawaji lowered his head. "Ah…" Kenshin's eyes hardened. "So he was erased."

 _Erased? You mean killed…?_ Syaoran wondered.

Lifting his head with the conviction of his words, Kawaji stated, "We had no choice. As a hitokiri he had too much information that could be damaging to the new government. If the assassinations Shishio carried out were revealed, the government would be destroyed. Shishio had as great of swords skills as you, but he was bloodthirsty and ambitious beyond imagining. He fought as a hitokiri not to protect the weak like you, but only to display his power. As such, we had to kill him to ensure his secrets would never be brought to life. At least… we thought we killed him. We poured oil on his body and burned it. But somehow he survived. He has now gathered many warriors who live for spilling blood and created his own private army. With Kyoto as his base, he plots to spark a war that would spilt this country into two."

Syaoran's ears heard words, but his spinning mind refused to comprehend them. _How can this world be so sick and twisted?!_

Kawaji continued in spite of everyone's surprise and horror. "The many troops Ōkubo-sama sent have all been annihilated. You, Himura-san, are our last hope. In the place of Ōkubo-sama, who was on his way to meet you to discuss this matter, I ask that for the sake of this country please go to Kyoto and fight once again."

 _H-He doesn't mean…_ Gasping, Syaoran whipped his head to see Kenshin. _No… Sakura would die._ His eyes lowered to Kenshin's hand that was gripping the sakabatō. He _will die…_

Kawaji stared deep into Kenshin's eyes. "Himura Kenshin, become a hitokiri again and assassinate Shishio Makoto."

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Aku Soku Zan-Slay evil immediately, swift death to evil, etc. It is the motto of the Shinsengumi during the Bakumatsu. Saitō especially upheld the motto, in real life and in the RK series.

Engawa-wooden wraparound porch in old Japanese houses and dojos

Gatotsu-Saitō's trademark sword technique. Saitō has various forms of the Gatotsu that he uses in different situations. The manga says, "in battles of life and death, it is rare to meet the same enemy twice. Therefore, if one has a single attack certain to finish one's foe, there is no need for lesser techniques. The Shinsengumi's strength lies not in their group tactics but in each member's mastery of his own deadliest blow."

Mibu-A region of Japan that Saitō hails from.

Mou ii-Enough, that's enough

Ōkubo Toshimichi-Based on a real historical figure of Japan. He was a leader of the Ishin Shishi from the province Satsuma who became a major official of the Meiji government. He was the Chief of the Department of Internal Affairs. The manga declared him as the most important man in Japan because of the political power he welded.

Ryūkansen-Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move that is often used as a counter to a thrust or charge. The user sidesteps an attack, spins around, and swings the sword at the opponent, adding momentum and centrifugal force to the blow.

* * *

Hello, Halley Vanaria! Thank you very much for your review! I'm very happy to hear that you are enjoying my story. Because of my busy life cutting down on my writing time, I am now updating every Wednesday. Hopefully I will be able to go back to having new chapters posted every 5-7 days but that's not possible for me right now… Regardless, I am willing to post a chapter a day early if someone asks me to. (I would have done so for this chapter since you asked, but it was my Dad's birthday yesterday so I couldn't.) Thank you again for your review and I hope you'll continuing reading!

Next Chapter: Faced with such a crisis, everyone at the dojo begins to doubt and question themselves, especially Kenshin. But there can only be one answer. The interpretation of Kenshin's fortune with the Clow Cards is finally made clear to Kenshin. Will he accept what they say his future holds?

Thank you for reading, everyone!


	13. Sayōnara, Rurouni Cardcaptor!

At Halley Vanaria's request, this chapter is posted a day earlier. Next chapter will be posted as usual on next Wednesday. This chapter highlights Kenshin's decision regarding whether or not he leaves to Kyoto and how Sakura, Syaoran, and Kaoru react to the situation. I would like to remind everyone that Kenshin's name means heart of the sword. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Though I may wish it to be so, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura.

* * *

CHAPTER TWELVE

Sayōnara, Rurouni Cardcaptor!

Everything Sakura had worked so hard for… it was all falling apart before her eyes. And there was nothing she could do to stop it.

As the Cardcaptor, it was her responsibility to be the master over the Clow Cards, to prevent them from going out of control and causing magical imbalance in the world. She was supposed to capture them if they did escape. If a Clow Card was used for murder, it was her fault, even if she didn't kill the person personally. To think that the Clow Cards she trusted and loved were capable of such evil… it shook Sakura to the core.

But that wasn't all. In all the time that Sakura had known Kenshin, she had been trying to help Kenshin move beyond his past and see the joy of living a free life. She did silly antics to make Kenshin smile, distracted him with pestering questions when he was lost in thought about his past, became his staunchest defender when people claimed Kenshin was nothing more than Battōsai, and tried to impart to Kenshin her belief that deep down the worst of people were kind and good at heart, including Kenshin himself. Kenshin, too, wanted to believe that as well. After all, these past ten years Kenshin had traveled Japan helping others, hoping for repentance and fantasizing of a day when the peace he once fought for would be his. They both worked so hard for that dream. They even had a taste of it while living at the dojo.

However, Kenshin had completely disregarded all this. He tore their dreams into shreds, stomped on it, and then spat on it for good measure. And for what? To finish a silly duel? He could have died! Did he care more about fighting than repenting for his sins and living a better life? Sakura knew for a fact that becoming Battōsai was Kenshin's worst fear, and yet when under pressure Kenshin folded so easily it almost seemed like he wanted otherwise. She was so disappointed and angry with him that for the first time since she met Kenshin she was doubting everything she had believed in. The foundations of her world were crumbling…

Hope was fading fast…

After she ran out of the dojo, Sakura entered the bedroom shared by her and Kaoru-san and curled up into a ball. The instant Sakura slid the shoji door behind her, Kero flew out of her hat, shouting and complaining. "I can't believe this is happening! I knew it, I knew this is what was going ta happen if we stayed here long enough." Kero placed his hands on the top of his head and shook his head vigorously. "Ugh! This is why I didn't want ta tell that red head anything! Now what we supposed ta do?!"

As Kero bemoaned of the situation, the shoji door slid open. "Sakura-chan…?"

Sakura lifted her head, hopeful. _Nii-chan? Has he come back to…?_ It was Kaoru. Slumping her shoulders and sighing, Sakura turned away.

As though Kaoru knew simple throwaway condolences wouldn't suffice, Kaoru wrapped her arms around Sakura and held her. Sakura clung to her, trying to understand just when things had gone so horribly wrong. They remained that way for quite some time until a haggard Syaoran slid open the shoji door. Kaoru lifted her head up and let go of Sakura, eager to hear news.

"Kaoru-san… Kerberos… A lot has happened that you would want to know about."

Kaoru placed one hand on the ground and leaned forward on it, bringing her closer to Syaoran. "How's Kenshin?"

Syaoran paused before replying. "Ask Sanosuke-san." At Kaoru's stricken face, Syaoran hastened to amend, "I mean, don't worry, he's fine, but Sanosuke is the one you should ask about what happened. Once Sanosuke-san's calmed down, that is." Wearily, Syaoran plopped down next to Kaoru.

Kaoru glanced at Syaoran, then Sakura, and then the open doorway. She patted Sakura's shoulder. Standing up, Kaoru all but ran out of the room. Beckoning over her shoulder, she ordered, "Come on, monster. Let's go."

"The government… do ya think the government knows… Would that Saitō guy tell them? Aw geez, things can't possibly get worse than this" Still muttering under his breath, Kero flew out the room. He was so distracted, he didn't even counter Kaoru dubbing Kero as a monster with calling Kaoru _busu_.

Syaoran stared at Sakura, his expressionless face revealing nothing other than how tired he was. For a brief moment, Sakura wondered what Syaoran saw whenever he looked at her. Assuredly he saw her red eyes and the dried tear tracks on her face. But could he see deeper? Did he understand how that though no matter what she did, life repeatedly smacked her down? Did he love her like he professed to her? Did Sakura or Syaoran even know what love truly was? If they didn't know what love was, how they possibly survive in this horrible, bloodthirsty era?

Uncomfortable, Sakura broke away from Syaoran's gaze, choosing instead to ask him one of the many questions that had been festering inside of her. "Syaoran-kun, have you ever wondered why the Clow Cards were made?"

Syaoran blinked in surprise, but he answered seriously. "Sometimes, yes."

Sakura drew her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. "I never have… not until now. Now I can't stop wondering… why would Clow Reed-san create something that could… that could…" _…kill?_

Without having to ask, Syaoran understood what Sakura was trying to say. "Sakura, it's just like Kerberos told you. Clow Cards aren't bad or evil. If they were used to do something wrong, it's the person who used them who was bad."

 _But I'm the Cardcaptor, so it's my fault!_ Or was it? Sakura could recall clearly Kenshin's panic stricken face as he shook Sakura, demanding that Sakura never think she was a killer ever again. And now Syaoran's eyes were boring into her with such determination and confidence. It was clear that he truly believed in what he said. Syaoran didn't think Sakura was to blame for the man's death. But his statement that people were bad sounded suspiciously like Kenshin. On numerous occasions Kenshin had commented some people were evil, and Sakura did her best to dissuade him. But...

"Syaoran-kun, why…" Sakura gripped her knees to her chest harder as she sucked in a breath, trying to keep from crying again. However the questions ripped out of her with a force of a tornado. "Why are people so mean to each other?! Don't they know that it's better to be kind? Don't they know how happy and good it feels to make other people smile when they were sad and to know that you can make a difference and that every little thing done can make the world a better place? Don't they want that? Who doesn't want to be happy and loved? If they do, then why? Why do they do such bad things like lying, being greedy, starting wars, and killing?!"

Syaoran gave her an imploring look. "Sakura… I don't know…" he murmured. He turned away, trying to formulate an answer that would satisfy Sakura. "I do think that deep down everyone does want to be happy, to be loved, even if they are doing bad things. Maybe… it's because they don't know how good it is to make other people smile. Maybe people have never been kind to them so they don't know better." As Syaoran continued, he became increasingly upset and clenched his fists harder. "Maybe people really are good people, but bad things happen by accident. Maybe they try their best, but then they realize their best wasn't good enough and give up. Maybe they truly want to be nice, but the anger with themselves are directed at others because they are trying to feel better about themselves. Maybe they… Maybe they…"

Sakura stared at Syaoran, shocked to see the tears in his eyes. _What is talking about…?_

As though in physical pain, Syaoran put his hands over his ears and closed his eyes. "It's my fault! It's all _my_ fault! The day after I promised myself I would protect you, you disappear and get lost in a different time, and even though I followed you I might have been too late. You could have died, and everyone that was counting on me would have been so upset, and it would have been my fault. Sakura, I'm so, so sorry!"

Unable to hear Syaoran in pain any longer, Sakura enveloped him in a hug. "Oh, Syaoran-kun, it's not your fault! It just happened. I wasn't careful enough. And don't forget I wasn't alone, I had Kero-chan with me. So don't blame yourself. Please! Please don't…" The very thought of all the pain Syaoran bottled up inside of him because of her brought tears to her own eyes.

Syaoran hugged Sakura back just as fiercely. "I'm sorry…"

"I forgive you. If this upset you so much, why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me you were sorry earlier so I could have forgiven you and it wouldn't bother you anymore?"

"I couldn't… I wanted to but…" Syaoran buried his face in Sakura's shoulder. "The thought that you could have died and it would have been my fault… I couldn't bring myself to say it. To face what I really felt."

Releasing the embrace so she could see Syaoran's eyes, Sakura asked, "Now can you?"

He paused. After a moment an idea struck Syaoran and he blurted, "What about you? Can you still be okay in this era despite everyone doing bad things? Because something has happened and I think the kidnapper really needs you now…"

A horrible suspicion caused her stomach to churn and her mouth dried from fear. "What is it…? What's wrong with nii-chan?" she dared to ask in a whisper.

"He might… He might become the hitokiri Battōsai again."

* * *

As though he could erase all of his troubles, Kenshin attacked the laundry with soap and water until his knuckles bled, all the while maintaining a fake, pleasant smile on his face. Anyone who didn't know Kenshin would think that Kenshin was viciously trying to rid the clothes of a nasty stain, but in truth, Kenshin wished to rid his soul of his bloody sins and problems.

 _Shishio…_ Kenshin thought. Shishio was man who was so powerful that he was able to amass a private army of disgruntled warriors and kill the leader of Japan. The rumors of Shishio Kenshin had heard while in the Bakumatsu and Kawaji's assertions said that Shishio was a greedy, evil mastermind who loved nothing more than blood and conquest. The thirst for killing and conquest was a bottomless hole that once someone slipped into it, they never stopped falling or saw the light of the sun again. Kenshin shuddered to think of how Shishio was now, fourteen years after becoming a hitokiri. Such a man had to be stopped at all costs.

" _Himura Kenshin, become a hitokiri again and assassinate Shishio Makoto. I know this is a hard decision, but there is no time to waste. I want your answer tonight. I'll anticipate a favorable reply."_

After Kawaji said this, Kenshin's friends immediately burst out in disapproval. Their objections rang through Kenshin's mind. What if he just stayed here at the dojo like everyone wanted and didn't go to Kyoto? Would it be such a crime to do something selfish for once in his life? But Kawaji explained every force they sent to stop Shishio was destroyed. They were so desperate, they were pinning all of their hopes on a man who hadn't been a hitokiri in fifteen years. Their only other hope besides Kenshin was… locating the Cardcaptor. With shaking fingers, Kenshin clenched the rim of the washing basin. _Sakura-chan…_ If Kenshin didn't agree to return to Kyoto and face Shishio, Japan would fall into chaos. Would Sakura's peaceful future change then? Would Sakura not exist anymore? Kenshin gripped the rim harder. _Sakura-chan…_

Did the entire future of a country rest in Kenshin's hands as Kawaji was claiming? For the sake of protecting the weak, the young Kenshin had forsaken his master and joined a war, never realizing the consequence was killing his own soul as he murdered others. For the sake of preventing Japan from erupting into a civil war, Ōkubo had died, Saitō tried to bring out the hitokiri within Kenshin, Kawaji asked Kenshin to kill Shishio, and Kenshin… Kenshin did… How could Kenshin stand aside and watch as the country and people he loved burned to the ground? Kenshin let the gi he had been washing slip through his fingers into the soapy water of the wooden basket.

 _It appears that… I have… little choice…_

Kenshin was such a fool. Was he going to let history repeat itself? Had nothing changed in ten years since Kenshin laid down his sword and picked up the defense of the weak without killing? _No! That's not true! I worked too hard for this to happen now!_ With a renewed anger and desperation, Kenshin picked up the gi and scrubbed it until his knuckles broke open and bled. Kenshin didn't notice until the scent of blood assailed his nose. _Blood…_

When he was hitokiri Battōsai, often times Kenshin had returned from his missions completely covered in blood. It was usually solved with a change of clothes and a bath, but the blood on his hands… even if they were gone from his body, they never vanished from his mind. Hence he developed a bad compulsion of washing his hands at every opportunity, even when they weren't dirty. Was that all his love for doing the laundry was? Washing the stains from clothes instead of blood on his hands? Were all of his old habits and thoughts and nature still lurking within him, only hidden by a thin veneer of the rurouni mask? He tried so hard to change and to repent, but as Saitō demonstrated it seemed Battōsai lay in waiting deep within his heart, waiting for the day he could be unleashed.

Kawaji had implored Kenshin to return to becoming a hitokiri again. But it seemed that Kenshin already was hitokiri Battōsai, and always had been. _And… always will be? No… please no… I worked so hard, ran so far, helped so many, all to escape from… from…_ All to escape from himself. It was impossible to run from the truth. From his past or who he really was.

 _No, no, no…_ Just when everything within Kenshin was about to collapse, Kenshin noticed something in the corner of his eye. The sakabatō. Filled with love for the blade, Kenshin unsheathed it and held it in his hands. _This is the proof that I have changed_ , Kenshin smiled. _This sakabatō and my non-killing vow._

And yet someone like Shishio and the men who loyally followed him would not stop until they were killed. It didn't matter if Kenshin had changed from being Battōsai. If he wanted to save Japan, he was going to have to do something even worse than not changing. He was going to have to forsake the sakabatō and his vow as if they meant nothing.

Memories of the blood soaked ground and the lifeless corpses of the people Kenshin had killed appeared before his eyes, followed by all the hunger, cold, and loneliness, he had experienced as a rurouni just to drive the hitokiri out of his heart. As both the hitokiri Battōsai and the rurouni he had almost lost his sanity, whether it was from spilling others' blood or desperately trying to make up for killing. How could he willingly say that he wanted be a rurouni or a hitokiri again? How could he agree?

But he had to. As always Kenshin had to put aside his own fears and sacrifice himself to protect everyone.

After laying the sakabatō on the ground, Kenshin put a fist to his forehead and rested his elbow on the rim of the basket. Inhaling a sharp breath, Kenshin screwed his eyes shut against the moisture. From the deepest recesses of his soul the scared, little Shinta came to the surface, screaming:

 _Who will protect_ ME _?!_

The sound a small splash reached Kenshin's ears. Startled, Kenshin opened his eyes to see an indigo ribbon floating on the water. It was the ribbon Kaoru had given him when she made him promise not to wander as a rurouni again. Another promise made to Kaoru earlier today flashed through his mind.

 _Giving Kenshin one of her warmest smiles, Kaoru suggested, "Kenshin, let's watch the_ hotaru _tonight,_ ne _?" She laughed and then amended, "Of course, I mean the bug fireflies, not that annoying_ Hotaru _, Kero."_

 _Kenshin couldn't help but smile at Kaoru's correction. However, he didn't reply to her question. As the silence stretched on, Kaoru answered for him. "That's a promise then!" she chirped with fake cheer. And yet both of them knew, but didn't openly acknowledge, that her promise was a desperate attempt at trying to keep Kenshin at the dojo._

The sight of Kaoru's ribbon soaking up the water in the basin and sinking jolted Kenshin out of his reverie. Just before it hit the bottom, Kenshin's hand shot out and seized it. He clutched it to his chest, never wanting to let it go. A solidary tear fell down his cheek and hit his bloody hands. It slid off his bloody knuckles until it disappeared into the fabric of the ribbon, Kenshin's blood, his tear, and the ribbon becoming one.

 _Kaoru-dono…_

* * *

Kaoru attempted to smile bravely as she waved Yahiko and Sanosuke off by the gates of the dojo. Apparently, a large brawl between some drunken men had occurred at the Akabeko, and Tae had asked for some muscle. Despite wanting to stay and hear Kenshin's answer to Kawaji, Yahiko and Sano left, knowing they couldn't abandon Tae.

 _Kenshin…_ Kaoru lowered her hand with a frown. She turned into the night to behold the glowing fireflies. _Fireflies. They're like the spark of life in the ever reaching darkness._ Closing her eyes, Kaoru remembered the promise she had forced Kenshin to make. _Oh how I wish Kenshin was here…_

"What beautiful lights." Eyes widening, Kaoru spun around on her heel.

"Kenshin! Where were you?!" Kenshin shrugged in response, stopping in his tracks. When Kenshin had disappeared earlier, Kaoru tried to reassure herself he only gone on a walk to clear his mind, which was understandable, and had not left for Kyoto, which was completely unreasonable.

"And Sakura-chan and Li-kun?"

Kaoru walked over to Kenshin as she explained, "I think they're both asleep inside the dojo. I haven't seen either of them since I left them to learn…" _…that after everything we've been through you might taken away from us… and from me._ Unable to say the words past the lump that was forming in her throat, Kaoru examined Kenshin. There was the barest hint of a smile on his face, but his eyes… they looked so far away and distant. Kaoru instinctively knew he was in pain. Helplessness surged through her. _The only way I can help is if I can convince him to stay here, but…_ Since when had Kenshin ignored someone in need? As much as Kaoru wanted him to stay, he wouldn't be her Kenshin if he did that. _W-Wait. What was that?_

 _Her_ Kenshin?!

Kenshin lowered his head so his eyes were covered with his bangs. "Ah." He sounded a little disappointed. After a small inhale, Kenshin lifted his head and stared directly at Kaoru, his eyes hardened. "This one's leaving for Kyoto."

Kaoru gasped. The world spun out from beneath Kaoru's feet, and Kaoru felt herself sway slightly. In hearing Kenshin's declaration, Kaoru realized her own worst nightmares were coming true. A voice from the back of her mind whispered, _I knew it._ Kaoru closed her eyes against the constricting feeling in her chest. After calming down, Kaoru opened her eyes and asked in a seemingly cold and indifferent tone, "Shishio Makoto… Will you kill him?"

Kenshin fingered the sakabatō hilt. "It is this one's dearest wish to keep his vow, that it is, but to do so would mean fighting not only Shishio… but hitokiri Battōsai as well. As it was demonstrated in the battle with Saitō, deep down in this one's heart, the hitokiri still lives."

"No!" The words burst out of her. Before she knew was she was doing, Kaoru clasped Kenshin's shoulders. "You aren't a hitokiri anymore! Kenshin is Kenshin!"

Kenshin chuckled, but it had no mirth behind it. Stepping back from Kaoru's hands, he turned away to gaze at the fireflies that danced around them. "When we first met, you said that you didn't care about people's pasts. All that mattered was that they moved forward. Even after learning that this one was hitokiri Battōsai, you understood the man that this one was trying to be. It was an amazing thing." Kenshin turned to Kaoru and smiled one of his real smiles. "It made this one so, so happy."

"Kenshin…" Kaoru breathed, tears in her eyes and her chin trembling. _Don't do this…_

"But," Kenshin's eyes glazed over as he continued, "To the government, Shishio, and everyone else in this country who hates Battōsai, hitokiri Battōsai is all that this one is. Even if this one stayed here, they would only hunt him down and endanger you. This one will not allow that, nor will he stand by as Shishio tries to bring Japan to ruin."

Without warning, Kenshin stepped forward and put his arms around Kaoru's waist, holding her close to him. Kaoru could feel his warmth spread through her. Her heart stopped beating. In Kaoru's ear, Kenshin whispered, " _Minna_ _arigatō_ , Kaoru-dono. _Sessha wa_ rurouni _, de gozaru._ Once again this one will wander. _Sayōnara_."

Kaoru's body froze in Kenshin's arms, all of the warmth and happiness she felt from his embrace vanished in an instant. Her mind raced with all of the retorts she should have thrown at him, all of the reasons why he needed to stay, all of her curses at the cruel world that would do this to us, but she could only voice them in her mind. _Kenshin_ no baka _! You're not a rurouni, you're not hitokiri Battōsai. You're my Kenshin. If no one outside this dojo can see that, then that's all the more reason why you should stay! And damn everyone else!_

Kenshin's arms fell from her waist. He lifted his head off her shoulder. Without looking at Kaoru's face, he put his hand in his gi and pulled out an indigo ribbon. Kaoru gasped. _He's kept it all this time?_ Expressionless, Kenshin offered it to her.

Kaoru remembered the words she had said while giving the ribbon to him, _"…as long as we never give up hope, we're in charge of our own destinies. So… you can't go wandering as a rurouni with my favorite ribbon or else I'm going to chase you down and punish you with my bokken."_ Instead of taking it, she balled her hands into her kimono by her chest.

For an instant, Kenshin's eyes showed the depth the agony his soul. His imploring look said, _Don't you accept what I'm about to do? Can't you accept that I'm leaving?_

 _No._ Never, Kaoru thought, shaking her head venomously. She bit her lip against her sobs as tears cascaded down her face.

With a barely audible exhale, Kenshin let go of the ribbon. It slipped through his fingers. The wind picked the ribbon up and it vanished into the darkness. Wordlessly, Kenshin turned and walked away. All of Kaoru's strength abandoned her and her knees folded from beneath her, a furious rush of tears spilling from her eyes. Kenshin never looked back or hesitated in his steps. And yet, the stiffness in his shoulders revealed that despite the act, every step away from her was just as painful for him as it was for her.

He had gorged his fingers into Kaoru, seized her heart, and ripped it from her.

The sword that had promised to protect her was leaving to dip itself in blood once more.

Kenshin was gone.

"Ken… shin…"

"KEEEEEEENSHINNNNNNNNNNNN!"

* * *

 _Left than right… Left than right…_

Kenshin's feet dragged in the dirt. Only through a sheer force of will and determination to see this through was Kenshin able to walk at all. To keep from showing his pain to the outside world he relied not on his rurouni persona, but the cold, indifferent Battōsai that lurked within.

Is that how he was supposed to live the rest of his life?

A small, but bright light floated into his vision. Lethargically, Kenshin lifted his head and hand to cup the bug. It landed in Kenshin's hand, its light flashing. _"Kenshin, let's watch the_ hotaru _tonight,_ ne _?"_

Not five minutes had passed since Kenshin left the dojo and already Kaoru's image and voice was in his mind. _Not good, not good…_

 _Kero…_ Suddenly the memories flashed through his mind, one after the other. The field of flowers and lights that filled the sky. The suffocating feeling in his chest as he faced Sōjirō. The elation Kenshin felt when he heard that Kaoru asked Sakura to read her fortune in order to find out if Kenshin would stay at the dojo. Nine Clow Cards spread before him in a diamond shaped pattern on the ground.

 _Sakura looked up at Kenshin and smiled sadly at him. "What question do you want to ask the Clow Cards?"_

 _Kenshin swallowed, nervous. But he had come too far to turn back now. "This one wants to know how long he will stay here at the dojo."_

 _Sakura nodded and flipped over five cards, explaining their meaning as she went, but Kenshin's own thoughts overlapped and drowned out Sakura's voice._ _Illusion. The ghosts of my past that were created from the Illusion card live again, making my hopes of staying at the dojo an illusion. Glow. The Glow Clow Card's normal form and balls of light resemble fireflies, mirroring the promise I made to Kaoru. Windy. Like the drifting winds of Windy, I would become a rurouni again and wander. Sword. Sword to represent my fight with Shishio._

 _Erase. And erase my future with everyone at the dojo, leaving nothing but my memories._

Did that mean Kenshin would never come back? He would never see them all again? _No… no…_ Overcome with despair and fear, Kenshin took a step back and clutched his gi, searching for a ribbon and comfort that wasn't there. In the unending darkness of the night that reflected the black in his heart, the reality of the situation crashed down on him like a waterfall.

Kenshin was alone.

 _No! I don't want this…_ His legs forgot how to move forward. His chest ached for air because lungs refused to take another breath. His mind tried to fight the reality that he had brought upon himself, but all his ears heard was the chant of "I'm alone, I'm alone, I'm alone". Kenshin clawed his hair, all the fear he kept within him for years as a rurouni flooding forth. With no promise of a happy future or hope of repenting for his life, his soul was shivering up and rotting…

 _I'm dying…_

"Kenshin nii-chan!"

Almost too scared to dare to look, Kenshin lifted his head and removed his hands from his head. A little ways ahead on the path, Kero flew in the air besides Sakura who was dressed in her Cardcaptor outfit, wand at the ready in her hand.

Must he go through this again?!

Regardless of his tumultuous emotions, Kenshin kept his chin high and said in a calm voice, "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you from making the worst mistake of your life." Sakura put her hands on her hips and gave Kenshin a glare that could make the strictest of parents go back on their word.

"Sakura-chan… you've heard of Shishio from the others, correct? There is no one but this one who can stop him. This one has to go, that he does."

Sakura planted her feet into the ground and threw her arms back as she shouted, "We're going with you!"

 _W-What?!_

Kero flew up towards Kenshin. "Think about it. Da boy who was Shishio's underling said that the Clow Cards he had were from Shishio. While you may have magic within ya, there's no way you can face Shishio without us!"

That was certainly true, but the upcoming fight was far too dangerous for a little girl, especially when Shishio wanted her. Remembering his argument with Kero, Kenshin said, "Kero… the Clow Cards-"

"Look, just listen, okay?" With a sigh, Kero crossed his arms and lowered his head in thought. "While I was grateful you had saved Sakura from those people, in the beginning I wanted nothing to do with ya. I tried to convince Sakura ta leave because I was afraid Sakura's magic would be exposed and exploited. But Sakura was so scared to be alone again that she clung onto you and called you 'nii-chan' despite knowing your past. As time passed… I began ta understand who ya really are. You were a man, who despite having committed the worst of sins, was aiming to be the best of persons, regardless of the sacrifices you had ta make ta reach that goal. Yer choice to go to Kyoto is proof of that. Once I realized this, I began to trust ya."

Kero raised his head to show Kenshin that he meant his words. "I am the guardian of the Clow Cards. I was entrusted by Clow Reed ta watch over and guide the Cardcaptor. I have been with Sakura since the beginning. And yet, I know my limitations in this era. So even though it's really hard to say this… In my stead, I trust you to protect Sakura." With a grin, Kero added, "I know ya won't let me down, Kenshin."

"Kero…" smiled Kenshin. However there was still one very important issue that required addressing. "Do you trust this one enough to tell him what the remaining Clow Cards are and what abilities they have?" _If you do,_ Kenshin thought, _then this one will be on his way and there will be no need to endanger you or Sakura-chan._

Kero rubbed the back of his head. "There is still a reason why I can't tell you everything, but I will tell ya on two conditions. You must let us go with you ta confirm that Shishio has been misusing the Clow Cards and, if that is the case, you must vow to assist Sakura in sealing them." Kero flew into Kenshin's face and wagged his hand. "Besides, you can't protect Sakura if ya leave her behind, _baka_!"

"He's right, you know." Kenshin looked down to see Sakura walk up to Kenshin, holding her wand to her chest in both hands. Her eyes swam with unshed tears as she regarded Kenshin. "You weren't thinking of leaving without me, were you?"

With a heavy sigh, Kenshin crouched down in front of Sakura so his face was level with hers. He smiled a sad smile and whispered, "Sakura-chan… this one can't protect you from the world and its evil ways. If you follow this one, you'll only be facing the worst of it." _Especially when the greatest of those evils is what I may be forced to become._

Sakura gripped her wand harder. "I know… Before I came in this era, I always thought the world was full of kind people, who tried their best even when things were tough. When I was stuck in that cabin I began to wonder if deep down all people were evil and enjoyed…" Sakura blinked several times. "…enjoyed hurting other people as it seemed they did to me… And I might have believed that for the rest of my life, if you hadn't saved me. You helped me believe again that there _is_ goodness in the world and even people who have made mistakes can move past them and hope for a better future."

Touched, Kenshin murmured, "You have been doing the same for this one, that you have." Just when Kenshin thought he would be swallowed by the despair and loneliness of a rurouni, Sakura had appeared like a sun breaking through the storm clouds. Her undying faith and loyalty warmed Kenshin's heart, reminding him of the kind of people he had fought to protect. Always optimistic, her cheerfulness had begun to rub off Kenshin, giving him the hope that one day he could be happy.

Determination seeped into her voice as Sakura continued, "If there are people in the world like you, then no one deep down is bad. The world isn't evil. So that's why I have to go with you. Just like you saved me when I was all alone, I won't ever leave your side and I'll always be there for you. I'll keeping on showing you that all people are good, including you! That way you won't become hitokiri Battōsai ever again," smiled Sakura.

"S-S-Sakura-chan…" Kenshin simply could not believe his ears. To think that Sakura, who was just a little child, would go through such lengths all for him… she truly was a blessing sent from the gods. How could he, a worthless rurouni, accept such a precious gift? To do so would taint her innocence with the blood of his sins… wouldn't it? _"…all people are good, including you… you won't become hitokiri Battōsai ever again…"_ To hide the warring emotions on his face, Kenshin ducked his head, his bangs covering his face.

When Kenshin didn't respond, Sakura pleaded, "You promised we would be together forever, remember?" Hearing those words, Kenshin began to shake. Moved with sympathy, Sakura threw her tiny arms around Kenshin's neck. "No matter what happens, you are my nii-chan. I love you."

Kenshin gasped. With the exception of his family many years ago, no one had ever said that to him. If Sakura loved him, rurouni and hitokiri and all, then there was no reason to keep her at an arm's length. All of the barriers around his heart cracked and fell away. Tears rolling down his face, Kenshin crushed Sakura to him. "This one loves you, _imōto_. Sister."

Sakura squealed with joy. Kenshin couldn't help but laugh, which caused more tears to fall. He had been terrified of the thought of becoming a rurouni again and being alone for the rest of his life just when he was beginning to have hope again living at the dojo. But with Sakura as his little sister, a part of her warm light would always remain within his heart, keeping the darkness of his soul at bay. There was little to fear with her at her side. His soul soared at the thought.

Sakura released the hug, and smiled at Kenshin through her own tears. "Rurouni Cardcaptor will win in the end, right?"

Kenshin gripped her Sakura's hands in his. "Of course, that we will." Why couldn't it be true? At this point if Sakura asked for the moon, Kenshin would be willing to do anything to obtain it.

Kero landed on top of Kenshin's head and patted it. "Welcome ta the family, red head." Kenshin only smiled wider.

"What about Kaoru onee-san?" Sakura asked, concerned.

Kenshin lovingly pressed his index finger to Sakura's nose. "This one is trying to protect her. To keep her from danger she will be staying at the dojo."

Sakura frowned, "But I don't think that will be making her very happy…"

Kero flew off of Kenshin's head. "Let it go, Sakura."

"Fiiine," said Sakura with a huff that clearly showed she disapproved. Using the Fly card, Sakura's wand grew wings. "Onto the next town, then!" Sakura cried, getting on her wand.

"Oro?"

"Come on! Let's go!" Sakura grabbed Kenshin's wrist as the wand began to climb. Following Sakura's command, the wand took off into the night sky. Sakura and Kero laughed in delight as the wind blew past them.

Kenshin screamed the entire way.

* * *

 _Dear Syaoran-kun,_

 _I know when you read this you are going to be very worried about me, but don't be. Kero-chan and I are going to find Ken-nii and get him to let us go with him to Kyoto. Knowing him, he'll be heading there all alone. I can't let him be alone like I was once in this era. Please don't blame yourself for what happened to me. To be honest, I could have escaped using the Clow Cards, but I was so scared that I couldn't move. I couldn't move forward. But now I can, thanks to everyone's support. And I must be by nii-chan's side to let him know that he can, too._

 _I know that you are very angry with me and Ken-nii for leaving to go stop someone who is so dangerous, but there is a reason why I didn't want you to come. As you know, I have dreams and visions that show me the future. In my dream last night I saw everyone I love die right in front of me. I can't allow this to happen. Just the thought of you or anyone else dying brings tears to my eyes. Please, please, please stay at the dojo and protect it from any magic attacks._

 _I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Kero-chan, and Ken-nii for leaving. Don't worry about us, because of everyone's support I can say with full confidence that everything will be all right._

 _Sakura_

Syaoran looked up from the letter to gaze out a window, the sun's soft rays lighting up the room. _Sakura…_ He gripped a magical card that warmed at the thought of her. _It seems my journey to find you hasn't ended._

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Baka-idiot, dummy, stupid

Busu-Ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Hotaru-Firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Imōto-Younger sister. Imōto is never used with the honorific chan unless it is meant sarcastically. Using chan with imōto is the equivalent of belittling one's younger sister by calling them little.

Kenshin no baka-Kenshin, you're an idiot; Kenshin, you idiot, etc.

Kimono-a long, loose robe with large sleeves that is tied by the waist with a sash, called an _obi_. Men and women can wear it. In this time, men can wear gis and hakamas instead if they were samurai, but women typically only wore kimonos.

Minna arigatō… de gozaru-Thank you for everything, Kaoru-dono. This one is a rurouni, that he is; taken directly from the anime.

Ne-Right? Isn't it? When attached to the end of a statement, it turns it into a question. "Ne" asks for confirmation or agreement. It is used in situations in which the person speaking is asking if what they said was correct and/or if the person they were talking to agrees with what was said.

Ōkubo Toshimichi-Based on a real historical figure of Japan. He was a leader of the Ishin Shishi from the province Satsuma who became a major official of the Meiji government. He was the Chief of the Department of Internal Affairs. The manga declared him as the most important man in Japan because of the political power he welded.

Sayōnara-goodbye; used in situations when the parting is expected to be a long time or forever

* * *

Instead of repeating the RK manga and anime and describing the other reasons why Kenshin decided to leave to Kyoto, I dove into his thoughts, searching to see how he felt about it. One thing that I felt didn't come across very well was just how painful the decision was for Kenshin. I hope I did well in describing his feelings. I moved the ribbon from the Jin-e arc to now, thinking that it would give the goodbye scene between Kaoru and Kenshin an extra oomph. Kenshin fearing that he would be alone after leaving Kaoru is meant to be a parallel to Sakura despairing when she got lost in Tokyo in Chapter 2. Kenshin's argument with Kero and Sakura's anger with Kenshin was added to make the "sibling scene" the more powerful. It might seem obvious that Sakura loved Kenshin, but in Japanese culture, such affection is rarely spoken aloud, as they prefer not to be so public with their feelings. Therefore, Kenshin is shocked that Sakura would say it to him, someone who isn't even her biological family. There is foreshadowing in the letter and that card Syaoran has… :) To those who are missing some action, there is quite a bit of it in the upcoming chapters, so please look forward to it! (Goodness, I sound like Kaoru at the end of the previews in the anime…)

Hello again, Halley Vanaria! Thank you for your second review. I'm happy to hear you liked this chapter and that you like my fanfic enough to want me to update quicker. Regarding Megumi and Aoshi, I have some good news and bad news. Megumi will not be appearing in the story for two main reasons. One: introducing her would take too long and drag out the story. I suppose I could skip over the Kanryu arc and have had her be a doctor that Kaoru and Yahiko knew from the beginning, but in comes reason number two. Two: There are too many characters, namely Sano, Yahiko, and Tsubame, who have small roles in the story. Adding Megumi to the story would be adding another person to that list. There won't be enough time to develop her interactions and relationships with others. I hope you understand. The good news is that Aoshi (and Misao) will be appearing in the story. His appearance will be similar to his role in the original Kyoto arc, but his backstory will have to be a little different because I didn't introduce him when he first appeared in the series. He will probably appear in about six, seven chapters from now. Misao will appear sooner (next chapter even!).

Next chapter: On the way to Kyoto, Sakura, Kenshin, and Kerberos get lost in Maze's grasp. However they meet a new ally, Misao. Another member of the Juppongatana makes their appearance!

Thank you again for reading this!


	14. The Maze to Kyoto!

Because I'm going to be busy tomorrow, I'm posting this chapter a day early. Next chapter will be posted on next Wednesday as usual. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: While I write of magic in this story, no magic, real or fake, will get me to own the rights of the characters or series that I use.

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Maze to Kyoto!

"Ready, Ken-nii?"

"…Ready, that he is."

Twirling her wand and throwing up a Clow Card into the air, Sakura uttered the chant that let her unleash the card's power. "Jump!"

Kenshin flew twenty five feet in the air, arms and legs flailing. At the top of his jump, Kenshin hung suspended for a moment before starting to fall. He desperately reached out his hands to slow his decent. He grabbed a tree branch with one hand and hung off it, dangling above Sakura and Kero.

Besides Sakura, Kero shook his head. Sakura crossed her arms, "No, nii-chan, you're supposed to land on the ground."

"S-Sorry, Sakura-chan. But this one's instincts for self-preservation are strong, that they are. This one still doesn't see how magic is supposed to help him land on his feet from such a height without shattering the bones in his legs."

Sakura and Kero sighed. They had explained this a thousand times.

A crack caused the two of them to look up sharply. Shouting, Kenshin fell towards the ground. Miraculously, Kenshin landed on his feet without injuring himself. For the most part. "Ow…" Kenshin muttered, as he touched his chest where Saitō had cut him.

"Are you all right?" Sakura ran up to Kenshin, looking for any signs that his old wounds had reopened. Yet again, Sakura couldn't help but wish there was a healing Clow Card. It would save Kenshin from a great deal of pain. Thankfully, Sakura didn't see any blood seeping through his bandages. Smiling, Sakura proclaimed, "If you were able to land without opening your wounds then that means you were able to use your magic to control the Clow Card's force!"

Kenshin returned Sakura's smile. "This one supposes so."

A couple of days had passed since they had left the dojo. After stopping in a hotel to give Kenshin a chance to recover, Sakura and Kero had begun training Kenshin in controlling his magic in a forest on the way to Kyoto. In a fight, precise control of a Clow Card's magic was a must. When using a Clow Card on Kenshin, Sakura lost some of her control on the card, so it was important that Kenshin learned how to use his own magic to direct the Clow Card. As Sakura had been trying to get Kenshin to demonstrate, Sakura could use the Jump card to make Kenshin leap to great heights, but it was up to Kenshin and his magic to decide if he landed lightly or with enough force to crack the ground.

Kero stated, "You're making great progress, red head. In a couple of days maybe we start combining different Clow Cards with your Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū moves."

"This one doesn't know, Kero…" Kenshin frowned. "After all, this one still doesn't understand the theory of magic…"

"It's simple," Kero smirked and crossed his arms, happy to explain what he loved best. "Magic is in a person's DNA, so it's in every cell of the body, but it's most prominent in a person's blood. At any given point of time, a good portion of blood is within the heart and around the brain, so magic collects there. Therefore in the presence of strong magic, untrained magicians, like you Kenshin, feel pain in the chest or head. Trained magicians must "spread out" the magic in their bodies and use magic from everywhere and every cell of the body instead of just the heart and brain. That's where the soul comes in. Let's say Sakura needs to use the Flower card to make a field of flowers. She pictures a field of flowers in her mind and wishes it to be so with her soul, with every fiber of her being, both physical and immaterial. Her magic, along with the magic of the Clow Card, makes her wish a reality. Get it?"

Kenshin's eyes became swirls. "Ororo…"

"Look, it can't be that hard if Sakura understands," huffed Kero.

Acting as mediator, Sakura stepped in between the two and raised her hands. "Let's just stick with trying to get Ken-nii to control the Clow Cards' effects."

Suddenly, several daggers flew at the trio flying out the trees. Kenshin jumped in front of Sakura and Kero and spun his sakabatō like a windmill. _Nii-chan's in danger!_ Fear of Kenshin's wellbeing gave Sakura the courage to unfreeze. Touching her hand to Kenshin's back, Sakura called forth the magic within her and the Clow Cards. "Code Windmill! Windy!" Wind burst from Kenshin's spinning sakabatō with enough power to turn the daggers around, and they charged hilt first back into the trees.

"Who are you?"

At the sound of a female's voice behind them, everyone turned around. It was a young woman who appeared to be a few years older than Sakura. She wore strange blue clothes with a white trim. She wore something akin to a short sleeves and shorts with a large ribbon bounded her clothes. A garment that appeared to be similar to fingerless gloves reached almost to her elbows. Her long black hair was put in a braid that reached past her bottom. In between her fingers, she held several daggers.

"Are you with Shishio or not? Hurry up and tell me so I can deal with you and get the hell out of this maze."

Kenshin took a step forward, yet again trying to put himself in between Sakura and danger. "What do you-"

"Nope!" Sakura cried, answering the woman's question. "We're trying to stop him! So who are you?" The woman raised an eyebrow at Sakura. Kenshin also turned to give Sakura a warning look. "Oops." Sakura grinned sheepishly at Kenshin. "Sorry."

The woman turned her head slightly to face Kero. "What's that?"

"U-Uh…" Several beads of sweat trailed down Kero's face as he realized it was too late to play dead. "Shoot."

As though entranced, the woman stared at Kero, lowering her arms. "Are you the sun guardian?" Kero and Sakura gasped. She took a step forward towards Kero. "You are! And you must be-!" Before she could finish, the woman turned her head to the side as though she heard something. " _Chikishō_. It's him again. We got to get out of here!" Waving her arm at them, the woman ran into a grove of trees. After sharing a glance, Kenshin, Kero, and Sakura followed her.

Running besides the woman, Kenshin asked, "Who are you?"

"Makimachi Misao, a _kunoichi_ from Kyoto. And you're Himura Battōsai, aren't you?" Seeing Kenshin's surprise, Misao grinned. "Who else in Japan has red hair and carries a sword despite the sword ban? Plus you're the one Aoshi-sama is after. And you're…" Misao turned her head to the side to see Sakura running behind her. "…the Cardcaptor, right? The sun guardian wouldn't follow anyone else!" Numbly, Sakura nodded. "Tch. If I knew the Cardcaptor was going to be a little girl, I could have been it."

"What was that?!" Kero angrily cried, flying close to Misao's face.

"I mean, the Cardcaptor's the most powerful magician in the universe!"

"Um, excuse this one, but what exactly are we running from?" asked Kenshin.

"There's this maniac with a sword that's been chasing me. I don't know who he is, but I'm fairly sure that he's with Shishio. No one else knows how to use magic. Whoever is behind it, he created some maze from the forest. I've been lost for days."

"Maze?" Sakura and Kero gasped and locked eyes. "It's the Maze Card!" they chorused.

"Maze Card?" At their declaration, Kenshin gasped. "There is such a thing? How do we get out?"

"Well…" Sakura lowered her head. "Um, actually… Maze is the only Clow Card I couldn't stop on my own. A friend of mine with great magical power rescued me and my friends and then I was able to capture it."

"B-But…" Kenshin spluttered, surprised to hear for the first time that Sakura couldn't capture a card on her own. "Is there an exit?" Sakura shook her head. "Then how do we leave?"

"Hmm…" Misao frowned, thinking. "The Cardcaptor should have the ability to track a person with magical power. So if we get close enough to that freak with the sword we can pummel him until they break the maze. Maybe we should head back in the direction I heard him from."

"However," Kero interjected, "Because magic is drawn to each other and can be sensed, trained magicians have the ability to mask their own magical power. If you know anything about magic or the Cardcaptor, you should know that, at least." It seemed Kero was starting to get annoyed that no one else understood the properties of magic.

Misao raised a fist, "Of course I do, you little-" Misao broke off with an irritated noise before correcting herself. "I'm a ninja and a magician." She held her chin up high, taking pride in her professions. "So naturally I know the basics of magic."

Still smarting from Misao's near insult, Kero muttered, "Does she respect or resent us?"

"This one thinks she just has a short temper, that she does."

"Quiet you!" snapped Misao. Kenshin and Kero quickly nodded their assent.

"Let's just explore the forest and see if we can sense any magic. Let's head back to where Misao-san heard the person." Knowing there was little else they could do, everyone agreed with Sakura.

"Unfortunately," Misao explained, "every time I tried to find this guy, I never found the man behind the sword. He just disappears. I've spent hours combing over the area where the sword appeared last, but I've never found him. But I guess with the Cardcaptor here, we'll have a better time tracking him. Since you're the Cardcaptor and have the greatest magic sensing abilities of all of us. You should lead the way," suggested Misao. Sakura nodded. Turning around, they ran deeper into the forest, renewed with a goal in mind.

Unfortunately, true to form, though they tried to head back to where Misao first saw the man, all of the trees and underbrush looked the same and they got lost. The ended up walking in what appeared to their eyes in circles, even though they were walking in a straight line. The entire situation was very frustrating, but complaining couldn't change anything, so no one spoke.

As Sakura walked alongside Kenshin, she observed him. She wanted to learn what he was feeling. In between throwing glances to the side to scan for any threats in the area, Kenshin watched Misao with distrustful eyes. However, every once in a while, Kenshin let his guard slip, and it appeared his mind was faraway. Sakura instinctively knew Kenshin was thinking about Kaoru. Why didn't Kaoru ask if she could come with him? Why didn't Kenshin ask Kaoru to come? It confused Sakura, but the one thing she was sure of was that Kenshin was upset. Summoning a bit of courage, Sakura did something she never did before and placed her hand in Kenshin's hand.

Kenshin looked down at Sakura, his surprise evident. "Sakura-chan, what-" Sakura grinned and Kenshin understood. He smiled a small, but grateful smile in return.

"Don't worry-" Sakura gasped as she felt something dig into her ankle. She let out a shriek as flew upside down yanked upwards by her ankle, her hand wrenched from Kenshin's grasp. From above her Sakura heard the sound of something snapping in half. Without warning, Sakura began to fall back down to the earth. Kenshin caught Sakura in his arms.

"Gotcha." Twirling another dagger in her hand, Misao smirked. "You okay?" she asked as she cut the rope tied around Sakura's ankle with her dagger.

"Yes, thank you, Misao-san." Kenshin and Kero echoed Sakura's sentiment.

Misao winked. "It's my duty to watch over and protect the Cardcaptor! And please don't call me 'san', Cardcaptor-sama. I'm your servant." Before anyone could question her, Misao plowed onwards, "I guess in the heat of the moment I forgot to mention that there are a ton of traps hidden within the forest, as if the maze wasn't bad enough. Why just the other day I almost stepped on a bear trap. Would have taken my foot clean off."

"…Are you really a ninja?" Kero asked, saying the one question that was on everyone's mind but was too polite to ask.

"Hmph!" Misao punched a fist into her other hand and narrowed her eyes. "I'll show you how good I am just as soon as we find the person responsible for this maze. I'll beat him up so much he won't know what hit him!" She chuckled menacingly. "Revenge shall be sweet…"

Kenshin looked up at the tree Sakura almost inadvertently climbed, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Stay here, Sakura-chan," he ordered as he placed Sakura on her feet. He began to climb the tree like a nimble monkey.

"W-Wait, nii-chan!"

"Yeah, that's not going to work-wait, what? 'Nii-chan'?!" Misao exclaimed, shocked.

Sakura only smiled at Misao and nodded. "Yup! He truly is my older brother now!"

Normally the Maze card brought those it trapped into a separated dimension, where its walls regenerated when broken and grew when people tried to climb them. The simple trick of placing your hand on the left wall the entire maze and eventually discovering the exit didn't work because there was no start or end to the maze. In addition, Maze created a maze that was forth dimensional, meaning it had stairs that were parallel to the ground and had floors that allowed people to walk vertical to the ground. If there was a person behind the Maze card as Misao claimed, then they had incredible magic power to be able to create a maze from the forest in this dimension. They probably also had the foresight to ensure that all of Maze's tricks would work in the real world.

"I'll get him." Sighing, Kero flew up towards Kenshin, muttering under his breath. "Maybe I really should tell him about da Clow Cards if he pulls stunts like these without waiting fer us…"

Several minutes later, an embarrassed Kenshin made his way down the tree. Once his feet hit the ground, he glowered slightly at Sakura. Sakura could help but laugh. He appeared as though he was a little child who had just been scolded. For someone who feigned buffoonery to make others underestimate him, he sure took offense when others made him look like a fool.

Once again the foursome set off, wandering aimlessly through the maze of trees. Only this time, after Kenshin's mishap the air seemed to be cleared between them, and Misao chatted endlessly about how happy she was to have met the Cardcaptor and the sun guardian.

"… it's been centuries since Clow Reed walked the earth and so everyone just assumed it would be more centuries until the Cardcaptor appeared. Ha! Just wait until I tell everyone I was the one who found her and one of the guardians to boot! I can't wait to tell Aoshi-sama." Misao stopped in her tracks and put her hand to her chest. "Aoshi-sama…" a sad and wistful expression crossed her facial features.

Impatient because she hadn't been able to get a word in for the past half hour, Sakura blurted, "How do you know about the Cardcaptor?" Sakura had always believed that no one in this era knew of magic, let alone the role of the Cardcaptor and the Clow Cards. So how could Misao possibly know? And why in the world did Misao keep calling Sakura "sama"?!

Misao jerked, startled, but she recovered quickly. "It'll take too long to explain, but I will say this. I come from a long line of magicians and ninjas go way back to a Japanese friend of Clow Reed himself. And all this time we've been waiting for the Cardcaptor to reappear so we may serve them in their quest to keep the world in magical balance." She gave Sakura a thumbs up as she declared, "So you can trust me. I'll help you capture this Clow Card."

"And who is this Aoshi-sama you speak so highly of?" Kenshin asked. His tone was serious as though he knew it would be difficult to get answers regarding the subject.

"Ah, well…" Misao stammered, looking away.

Sakura's head snapped up. "I sense it! There!" cried Sakura, pointing in front of them.

"Oro?"

Without any hesitation, Sakura called forth on the Fly card, jumped on her wand, and took off. "Follow me!" She weaved in and out avoiding trees and branches in her path, going speeds fast enough that the trees became a blur. Even so, Sakura made sure that she could still hear the others running behind her. Once she felt she was in close range of the magic source, Sakura landed on the ground, the wings on her wand vanishing. She stood in the middle of a small grassy clearing enclosed by trees. The open blue sky and sun teased Sakura, dancing out of reach. Tilting her head to the side, Sakura listened to her surroundings. It was eerily quiet. No cheerful birdsong pierced the air, or squirrels tittering, or leaves crunching underfoot of woodland animals. _Something's wrong._ Gasping, Sakura whirled behind her. _Where is everyone? There were just behind me!_

The whistle sound made by something flying at high speeds through the air came from behind Sakura. Confused, Sakura turned around. A metal long and thin thing shot out of the trees, heading directly towards Sakura, about to skewer her. She froze. At the last moment it moved to the side and sliced Sakura's upper arm. With a snapping sound, it retreated back into the trees. Hissing in pain, Sakura clamped her hand down on the wound, blood starting to pool underneath her fingers.

A maniacal laughter resounded through the forest preceding the sound of footsteps approaching Sakura. Underneath the canopy of the tree tops, Sakura noticed a figure that was engulfed by shadows.

"Hey there, little girl. Aw, you got a boo boo."

The man stepped into the clearing, the sun glinting off his blond hair. The four meter long, curling sword rested on his shoulder. "I'll kiss it for ya."

* * *

"Kenshin, _bakayarō_!"A sizeable wooden crate went flying, bursting open and spilling its contents. Various training equipment clattered to the ground. "When I get my hands on you, I'm gonna flay you alive!"

"Was that really necessary, Sanosuke-san?" Syaoran asked drily.

Sano wheeled towards him, pointing a finger at him. " _Urusai_!" Turning around, Sano punched a pillar supporting the dojo. "That selfish bastard! He promised he wouldn't go wandering without my permission!"

Her patience very short these days, Kaoru stomped out of the dojo where she was training Yahiko and yelled, "Shut up all of you!" Brandishing her bokken in her hands, Kaoru said to Sano, "And if you hit another one of my things I'm going to beat you upside the head!"

From his perch on the engawa around the house, Syaoran muttered, "Is everyone from this era foulmouthed and violent?"

Sano and Kaoru turned to Syaoran. "Shut up!"

Syaoran jerked back as though slapped. " _H-Hai…_ "

With an irritated huff, Kaoru returned to the dojo. Over her shoulder, she ordered, "Pick all of it up and wipe the dirt off, Sano!" Slamming the shoji door behind her, Kaoru walked over to Yahiko. "All right." She held the bokken in front of her with both hands. "Come at me, Yahiko. Give it your best shot." While Yahiko was only a student, fighting him would be a good way to vent her pent up anger without arousing anyone's suspicions.

Yahiko studied Kaoru for a moment, probably trying to judge if Kaoru was serious. She was. Yahiko tossed his shinai down to the ground. "Come on, Kaoru. Playing the pretend game isn't helping anyone."

Kaoru tossed her head and tried to give one of her best smiles. "I don't know what you're talking about," she lied sweetly.

That must have been Yahiko's last straw. " _Chikishō_ , Kaoru, he left. Now either chase after him or try to move on." He stepped forward close to Kaoru, his face a mask of fury and hurt. "Don't act like Kenshin never existed!"

Of course Kenshin existed. How could Kaoru forget him and his gentle but sad smile? It was just that acknowledging his existence meant remembering how he left without looking back. And that was… too painful. Instead of replying to Yahiko's accusation, Kaoru said calmly, "You are my student. Pick up your shinai so I can teach you."

Stubborn as a mule, Yahiko crossed his arms. "I'll be your student when you stop teaching me so you can forget Kenshin."

 _Touché_ , thought Kaoru as she flinched. There was no way Kaoru could honestly reply to that without breaking the mask she had carefully crafted since Kenshin left. A change of tactics was in order. "Fine then." Kaoru pronounced, "I'll do the laundry." Yahiko face palmed.

After returning her bokken to the rack, Kaoru stepped outside and attacked the pile of laundry that had accumulated since Kenshin left several days ago. Wordlessly, Syaoran helped her. Yahiko elected to remain in the dojo to train, though judging by his angry shouts and curses at the situation Kaoru wondered if he was simply swinging his shinai for its own sake. Her hands stilled from washing the clothes. _I'm sorry, Yahiko…_ For disappointing him. For disappointing herself. Clutching a sheet to her chest, Kaoru thought of Kenshin. _I can't help him… I'm too weak…_

Kaoru shook her head vigorously in an attempt to get a vision of Kenshin out of her mind. Once she opened her eyes, she noticed Sano's absence. She searched for him with her eyes, but there was no sign of him. "Hey, Li-kun. Where did Sano go?"

"He went in the house. I'm not sure what he's doing-"

Sano burst out of the house, a cloth bag thrown over his shoulder. Without breaking his stride, Sano walked towards the dojo gates. "That's it. I'm leaving."

Standing up, Kaoru demanded, "Where do you think you're going?"

Sano stopped walking with his back to Kaoru and Syaoran. He stood still, completely silent for a long moment. He whispered, "You know exactly where I'm going."

Kaoru's head dropped, the fight going out of her. "…to Kyoto."

"Damn straight. If Kenshin left to fight some Shishio guy without me, then that must be because he thought I would get hurt." His closed his hands, and raised his shoulders while dipping his head slightly. "Nothing comes close to the pain of knowledge that Kenshin thinks I'm weak." His eyes flashed as he whirled around to face Kaoru, a fist in the air. "I'm gonna chase his sorry butt down and show him exactly how weak I am with this fist!"

" _Sō ka_ …" murmured Kaoru. _Sano is so convinced that he is strong enough to support Kenshin, but I…_

Overhearing the conversation, Yahiko exited the dojo. "You're really leaving, Sano?" Sano nodded and gave Yahiko an almost crazy grin.

"What about you, Li?" Sano asked. All heads turned to Syaoran, who until that moment was standing silently next to Kaoru. "You coming with me?" Syaoran didn't reply. Pressing his case, Sano urged, "After all, Sakura left too. You're the one who is closest to her and Kero. You're not just going to give up on them, are you?"

Syaoran's eyes darkened. "I would never give up on Sakura."

Sano smirked. He waved his arm as he said, "All right, good! Then let's get going then."

Sano turned around, once again heading for the gates, when Syaoran's quiet voice stopped him in his tracks. "I can't."

"W-What?" Sano sputtered, disbelief written all over his face.

Syaoran tilted his head down so that his bangs covered his eyes. "I'm waiting for someone."

For a second, it looked like Sano was going to fiercely object. However at the last moment his face softened. "Whatever, kiddo. But I'm not waiting." To Kaoru's surprise, Sano strode over to Kaoru. Clasping his hand on her shoulder, he said, "I know how the two of you feel for each other, Missie. So what are you waiting for?"

"Yeah!" Yahiko cried. "You're the only one Kenshin said goodbye to, right? That means for Kenshin leaving you was the hardest of all! You're our best chance of bringing him back!" Yahiko continued. Don't you want to see him?"

 _More than anything in the world. But don't they understand that it's not so simple of a matter as just wanting to see him or chasing him down to bring him back? Don't they see what I see?_ A vision of Kenshin from the Jin-e incident flashed through her mind. Tears formed in Kenshin's eyes as a gut wrenching scream of agony ripped from his soul, begging the ghosts of his past to stop tormenting him. Behind the rurouni mask, he was a broken man. How could she, a simple sweaty, bossy, seventeen-year-old woman who couldn't cook or clean, heal a man like him and soothe his soul? They very notion that she could was absurd. _I'm not strong enough to help him shoulder his burden._ _If I go and Kenshin places all of his hopes onto me only for me to fail, then he may give up on life._ But if she didn't chase after Kenshin where did that leave him? Kaoru clamped her hands on her head, unable to withstand the pain of her heartbreak _I… I don't know what to do…_

"Kaoru-san."

Kaoru's head jerked up. She turned to see Syaoran's serious dark eyes bore into her. "Would it make a difference if I told you that I had a way that would help us find them for certain?" Kaoru froze, but she didn't respond. Syaoran continued, "Look, Kaoru-san. If you don't chase after him now, you'll regret it. A life spent searching for him is better than a life giving on him and living in sadness or worse, trying to forget him.

"He didn't want for this to happen. He wanted to stay here with you. That's why I know he wants to see you just as much as you want to see him. I'm sure of it."

"I… I…" _Kenshin… wants to see me? Does he really?_ Closing her eyes, all of her precious memories of Kenshin cascaded through her mind one after another. Kenshin accidentally saying how grateful he was for Kaoru making him smile. The night in the midst of lights orbs and blooming flowers when Kenshin stared only at her, all but admitting aloud how beautiful she was, and they walked home hand in hand. Kenshin confessing he wanted to stay at the dojo. Their near kiss. The huge smile and the tenderness in his eyes as he accepted Kaoru's ribbon. The warmth of Kenshin's hug just before he left, taking her heart with him.

 _Wait hold on… Kenshin and I confessing we wanted him to stay at the dojo. My Clow Card fortune telling reading! What was it again?_ Flower, representative of the fun times spent with Kenshin and the others at the dojo. Glow, which looked like fireflies, indicated the promise to watch the fireflies with Kenshin before he left. Jump and Fly. If she wanted to bring Kenshin back, to save him from his past sins, she has to jump to new heights and fly. And the last card, to which the end is directed towards, was Sword meaning Kenshin. She had to fly into his arms. To heal his broken wings and teach him how to soar again. Kaoru could feel in her bones that her interpretation was correct.

Beneath his fake rurouni persona, Kenshin was crying out in pain. Even if she wasn't sure that she could heal him, how could Kaoru let Kenshin experience that crushing weight for another second longer?

"I…" Tears flooded from Kaoru's eyes and streamed down her face. "I want to see him… I want to save him and bring him back. I won't…" Kaoru opened her eyes and clenched her fist, her determination returning a thousand fold. "I won't let go of him ever again!"

Yahiko and Sano cheered. Syaoran watched Kaoru, a smile on his face. "I'm gonna go grab my bag that I packed!" Yahiko dashed into the house, not even bothering in his haste to close the shoji door behind him.

Over his shoulder, Syaoran called, "Don't forget mine!" Yahiko shouted an affirmative in response from the depths of the house.

Hearing that Yahiko and Syaoran had already packed for the trip to Kyoto left Sano shaking his head. A huge grin was on his face, revealing how proud he was. Smiling herself, Kaoru wiped away her tears, attempting to calm down. _Is this really happening? Am I going to see Kenshin again?_

Yahiko exited the house and tossed Syaoran his bag. "Let's go!" He all but ran full tilt towards the gates.

"Hold on, Yahiko." Sano grabbed the back of Yahiko's gi, effectively halting him. "We need to come up with some plan." Turning to Kaoru and Syaoran, Sano explained, "I'll take the Nakasen road and train on the way to Kyoto. You three should go on ahead of me and take a boat. If you find Kenshin before I do, tell him I gonna kick his butt when I see him."

"All right. Will do," smiled Kaoru. _Sanosuke will never change._

Yahiko exclaimed, "We got to go now to catch the first boat out of here to Kyoto!" Sano muttered something under his breath as he followed Yahiko out of the gates. After a moment, Syaoran moved to join them, but Kaoru spoke.

"Li-kun, please wait a second. I have something that I want to ask you." Syaoran turned to Kaoru without a word, his face open. "If… if you had some way of following or tracking Sakura or Kenshin, then why did you stay here? Why did you wait for me?"

Syaoran shrugged. "For the same reason Yahiko and Sanosuke didn't leave earlier. Because we know that both of you really want to be with each other. I know…" Syaoran lowered his eyes. "I know that when you really care about someone, you're never happy while you're separated." Syaoran closed his eyes briefly before staring deep into Kaoru's eyes. "No one should go through that pain, Sakura's onee-san. I won't let them."

Hearing Syaoran's words caused a warmth to go through her from her head to her toes. It was a deep affection and appreciation for the young, but strong boy before her. Acting on a motherly instinct, Kaoru enveloped Syaoran in a hug. "Thank you, Li-kun. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Syaoran stiffed in Kaoru's embrace but slowly he relaxed. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right."

Kaoru smiled, and rubbed Syaoran's back. "Yes, you're right."

Kaoru had never felt so elated in her life. It was as though she had been dead since Kenshin left and now she was alive again, and infused with a purpose. Kaoru's feet didn't touch the ground as her soul prepared to take flight. _Forget about my doubts and fears._ No matter what condition Kenshin is in when she found him, she was going to greet him with a smile. And hopefully he'll smile warmly in return, giving Kaoru the hope that she truly could bear his burden and lift his spirits.

Kaoru released the embrace, but she kept her hands on Syaoran's shoulders. "Let's go find the people we care the most about." Syaoran nodded, his resolve shinning in his eyes.

 _Sakura-chan, Kenshin, hang on! We're coming for you!_

* * *

Fear rooted Sakura to the spot as she stared at the dangerous swordsman before her. Shewas completely incapable of movement. Unlike all of the fights Sakura played a role in the Meiji era, there was no reassuring presence of her surrogate older brother. It was up to her to stop this man, who had a look of lunacy in his eyes that suggested he had no qualms with hurting a child. The feel of blood under her fingers caused Sakura to see visions of the people who rough handled her after capturing Fly in the Meiji era. Sakura took several steps back, her shaking hands placed on her head. _Nii-chan… Kero-chan… where are you? I need you!_

The man winked at her. "And don't cha go thinking that if you stall long enough that yer friends will be coming to the rescue. They're lost within the depths of the maze. I made sure of it." Seeing the tears well up in Sakura's eyes, the man jeered, "You gonna cry now? Go running ta your mommy? Heh, if you go back into that maze you'll never get out, I promise." He muttered, "Would make things a lot easier, if ya ask me."

Strangely enough, the man's taunt of Sakura's mother reminded her that there were people waiting for her, hoping her to see her safe and sound. Sanosuke, Yahiko, Tsubame, Kaoru, Kenshin, Syaoran, and all her family and friends back home. If she wanted to see them again, she had to conquer her fear of being alone and getting hurt. Sakura lifted her chin up, defiant. She wouldn't let them down.

Swallowing her tears, Sakura demanded in a voice as calm as she could manage, "Who are you?"

"Does it really matter? Ah well, whatever. The name's Sawagejō Chō. Now unless you want to end up in pieces, brat, come with me."

Trying to block out Chō's words, Sakura stated, "You work for Shishio-san, then?"

Chō paused, examining Sakura in her dirty kimono while rubbing his chin and closing one eye. "You are the Cardcaptor, right? Because if not, I'm going to be really annoyed."

 _Only the people who work for Shishio-san would know about the role of Cardcaptor. I have to either keep talking with him until nii-chan arrives or defeat him quickly._ Sakura studied Chō's sword. _It bends and changes directions very quickly. Might be magic. If Ken-nii were here he would fight with his sakabatō, but I have to be more creative…_

When Sakura didn't answer, Chō smirked. "I'll take that as a yes. Now get over here before I lost my patience." Sakura stood her ground. "You're not going to listen, are ya?" Sakura shook head and clenched her fists. "I always hated kids," he muttered. Gripping the hilt of his sword, Chō swung it at Sakura, "Playtime's over, kiddo!"

A Clow Card in one hand and her wand in the other, Sakura jumped to the side. "Jump!" The sword struck the ground before turning towards her. Fighting against the panic, Sakura cried, "Windy!" A gust of wind appeared from the Clow Card batting away the sword. For now.

Grunting, Chō reined back the weapon to him before flinging the tip up in the air. _Huh? Where's the end of the sword?_ Seeing a blur of movement behind her, Sakura turned around to see the sword about to piece her head. Screaming, Sakura jumped on her wand. "Fly!" She flew to a high altitude, the sword missing one of her eyes by a narrow margin. It managed to cut her face below her right eye, causing it to sting and bleed. Undeterred, the sword changed directions yet again and followed her up into the air. She twisted the wand to the side. Sakura had fully expected to sword to trail her, so she thought she was prepared to avoid the blade. However, to Sakura's horror, the sword tip curled around the wand. With a yank of Chō's hand, the wand jerked out of Sakura's grasp, sending Sakura hurtling down to the ground fifty feet below.

Sakura tried to call upon Fly again, but with Fly still possessing her wand, it was impossible. Knowing Jump wouldn't work midair, Sakura risked her chances on her only option. "Sword!" Sakura's wand turned into a rapier. Fifteen feet until she kissed the ground, Sakura shouted, "Fly!" Two large wings unfurled from Sakura's back. Sakura furiously flapped her wings with all the power she could muster which sent gusts of wind batting at the ground. At the last moment before impact, the wings grew and wrapped her into a feathery cocoon, allowing Sakura to hit the ground with a lot less force than she would have otherwise. However, the ground still knocked the breath out of her lungs. It was a gamble that Fly Clow Card would make the wings appear on her back instead of the wand without the card being a Sakura Card, but it seemed Fly knew of its master's intentions and responded accordingly.

Chō laughed, his long sword, wrapped around Sakura's sword, "Heh, well at least I still got yer wand-"

Sakura silently summoned her sword to her hand, bringing Chō's sword with it. Grabbing the hilt of her sword, she batted Chō's sword back to its owner.

"For the love of…" With a noise of disgust, Chō whipped his sword at the ground. "I don't intend to play babysitter. Now either you come with me, or I'll be forced to give you a real spanking."

Sweat slid down Sakura's face as she struggled to stand. She leaned onto her sword for support. Grateful, she mentally thanked and apologized to Fly for taking the brunt force of her fall. Taking deep breaths, Sakura asserted her condition. Aside from several nasty bruises and cuts, Sakura felt all right, just tired. Using magic while bleeding was extremely dangerous. Blood was a great source of magical power, after all. Before her, Chō licked his sword, reminding her of just how desperate her situation was. Her mind raced with different possibilities and scenarios. _Jump and Windy aren't very good for dodging, and Fly wouldn't be any help for defeating Chō-san or knocking out his sword. I don't think I could bind his sword with a card because it's too twisty. I'm not Kenshin so going Sword to his sword would be silly. Earthy could wrap the ground around Chō-san's legs, but that wouldn't stop his sword. And an earthquake could hurt him. So what does that leave me?_ Sakura looked down at her two remaining cards. _No way…_

"Just try to stop me!" Sakura declared, swinging her wand by her side.

Chō snorted, "Looks like someone needs timeout. Permanently." Chō raised his sword into the air before slamming it into the ground. "Take this, _orochi_ pose!" The sword darted out before Sakura, striking the ground at random as it charged towards her.

"Jump!"

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

It was too late for Sakura to stop the magic and she blasted into the air. Kenshin, Kero, and Misao burst onto the scene behind where Sakura had previously stood. Grinning widely, Chō shouted, "Die, Battōsai!" Before Kenshin could react, the sword plunged into his chest, reemerging out of his back. Kero gasped in horror. Misao screamed.

"No!" Sakura stood right beside Chō, her hand grasping the wrist of Chō's sword hand.

"W-What?!" Chō sputtered. "How did you get here?"

Sakura smiled. After using Jump, she called forth fly and flew behind Chō. And now the coup de grace. Sakura raised her wand above her head. "Your jokes aren't funny!" Slamming her wand down onto Chō's sword, Sakura shouted, "Erase!" Chō's sword faded until it winked out of existence.

Startled, Chō took several steps back. Growling, he said, "But at least I got Battō…" Chō looked up just in time to see Kenshin's, Misao's, and Kero's forms vanish. He stared open jawed. "A-An illusion." It was a very gruesome ruse that left a horrible taste in Sakura's mouth, but she knew it had to be convincing enough to distract the Chō and make him forget Sakura.

Borrowing a line Kenshin had used many times, Sakura pleaded, "Please stop. Without your sword, any more fighting would be meaningless. I don't want to fight-"

With all the force and heat of a volcano erupting, Chō snapped. He seized Sakura's neck and lifted her into the air. Choking, Sakura let go of her wand to grab Chō's hand. "You brat! How dare you do that to my beloved sword? Who are you to think that a little punk like you is better than me, Swords Hunter Chō?!"

"Aah…" Sakura tried to breathe, but Chō only squeeze her throat tighter. _What have I done?_

Caustic venom dripped from Chō's words. "Forget about Shishio. I'm just going to kill you now." His eyes smoldered and burned with a hate so hot that he appeared to be a demon.

Sakura stared at Chō wide eyed as tears fell down her face. She had never been more terrified in her life.

The sound of someone running. A figure jumping into the air, the sun framing his back, keeping them in shadows. The gleam of a sharp sword in one hand. The sickening crack as the sword smashed into the back of Chō's head.

Chō's grip on Sakura slackened and Sakura fell to the ground. Chō's body landed onto the ground with a thud, his eyes lifeless. _Is he… dead?_ Tentatively, Sakura raised her head to look at her rescuer. _Nii-chan…?_

The Maze Clow Card formed above Chō's body and floated towards Sakura's savior, declaring him as the rightful owner of the card for knocking out Chō. He held the Clow Card in between two fingers. "Looks like I'm the winner in this round." He smiled. "… _ne_ , Cardcaptor-san?"

Sakura gasped. It was the man who had wounded Kenshin on his back, who had possessed two Clow Cards, who had killed Ōkubo.

The man smiled wider and extended his hand towards Sakura.

"Let's go visit Shishio-sama now, shall we?"

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary

Bakayarō-You moron, fool, dumbass, etc.

Bokken-wooden stick used in dojos to train students; very similar to shinai

Chikishō-Damn it; Shit

Engawa-wooden wraparound porch in old Japanese houses and dojos

Hai-Yes

Kunoichi-Female ninja; very rare

Maze-One of the Clow Cards. It has the power to trap people in mazes in dimensions that it creates. Maze's mazes are fourth dimensional, and can repair walls that have been broken, and raise walls to make them impossible for people to climb over them. It cannot be sealed from the inside. Maze has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to confuse other people.

Ōkubo Toshimichi-Based on a real historical figure of Japan. He was a leader of the Ishin Shishi from the province Satsuma who became a major official of the Meiji government. He was the Chief of the Department of Internal Affairs. The manga declared him as the most important man in Japan because of the political power he welded.

Orochi-Japanese eight headed snake of legend

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Shoji-the name of the sliding doors in Japan (as opposed to a Western door that opens and closes on a hinge)

Sō ka-I see, is that so, etc. Has other meanings of which I do not know.

Urusai-Shut up; used in a sentence it means noisy, but when used as an exclamation it means "shut up"

* * *

Misao's backstory (and inadvertently Aoshi's as well) is quite different from normal primarily because I didn't want to waste time writing about how Misao and everyone at the Aoi-Ya being like "Magic exists? Wha…" The only way I could think of them knowing of magic while the general populace doesn't is that they are descendants of a friend of Clow Reed (Not very original, I'm afraid.) You'll see what just kind of magic she uses in the next chapter. ;) Kaoru's fortune telling interpretation is... a bit of a stretch, but I only had nine cards to work with. I'm just having fun with explaining about how magic works in the CCS series, because the manga and anime didn't really go into details.

Hello, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad you understand my reasons for why Megumi will not be appearing in the story. Thank you for your continued support of my story!

Next chapter: Sōjirō takes Sakura to meet Shishio on Mt. Hiei. The reason why Shishio is specially targeting Sakura and why she has been transported to this era is revealed!

Thank you for reading this chapter! Please review if you like this story, or review if you don't. I would love to hear you guys' opinions!


	15. Cardcaptor Shishio?

**Important Note!** I have started a new year of school a few days ago and it appears that I will have a significant increase in the amount of homework, papers, and projects this semester. Because of this, **I may have to post chapters bi-weekly on Wednesdays** for _some_ chapters. Aka, Chapter 15 I may be able to post next Wednesday like normal, but for Chapter 16 I may be forced to post it after two weeks have passed. Eventually if things get so out of hand, I may be forced to make posting chapters bi-weekly a rule instead of the exception, but I'm going to do my best to make sure that doesn't happen. If I have a lot of homework in the upcoming week and I think I won't be able to make the deadline of posting chapters on time, **I will give you a heads up** and specifically tell you I will post the next chapter in two weeks. So be on the lookout for that in the author notes. I'm really sorry about this, everyone! Please try to forgive me if you can.

Before you read the chapter I just wanted to say that Misao's magic is based on something real (although obviously magic isn't real). I'll explain more after the chapter for those who are interested in learning more.

Disclaimer: I don't have any money nor do I make money off of this so don't sue me because I don't own any series used in this story. Thanks! I appreciate it. :)

* * *

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Cardcaptor Shishio!?

"Um… what if I say I don't want to?" Sakura smiled her biggest smile that she usually saved for when she was asking her father for something very expensive.

"I'm sorry, but you really have no choice in the matter," the young man replied with a smile of his own. "If pressed, I would have to say that I will unleash this Maze Clow Card again, and Battōsai-san and the guardian will be lost within it forever." Sakura eyed the Clow Card in the man's hand, debating whether or not she could reclaim the card before he could retaliate. Following Sakura's gaze, the man said, "Sorry, but you're too exhausted to fight me. In addition, you're bleeding which drains your magical power. So unless you don't want to get hurt, you'll follow me."

Even though she realized she was forced to meet Shishio with this man, Sakura couldn't summon the willpower to stand up following being strangled. After a moment, the man realized the problem and offered his hand to her. Shocked by the kind gesture from the enemy, Sakura stared at him. He only smiled wider. With a great amount of hesitation and a bit of fear, Sakura accepted his hand and stood up.

The young man began to turn away, when Sakura spoke up. "He's not… you know…" She looked at Chō lying on the ground.

He watched Sakura with only the barest hint of confusion before he asked, "Dead, you mean? No. I cannot kill one of our own without Shishio-sama's permission and I would never go against his orders. Of course, he will be punished because he failed in his duty."

"B-But why?" Sakura asked, horrified. "How could you do that to your friend?!"

"He is not my friend. I don't have any friends. The strong live and the weak die. The weak are food for the strong. That is the law of this world." Without explaining his cryptic philosophy, he walked into the woods.

Sakura shivered. _He's so… emotionless. Aside from his smiles, he doesn't show anything._ She shook out of her reverie once she noticed that the man had traveled onwards without her. She hastened after him until she walked a short distance behind the man. They fell into silence as they traveled. Looking around, Sakura saw no animals, nor did she hear any birdsong. Aside from Shishio's underling ahead of her, she was alone. _Nii-chan…_ The thought of Kenshin reminded her of a conversation they had during a stay at a hotel. Kenshin had instructed her that in the event that was alone with Shishio or one of his henchmen, she needed to obtain as much information as possible about them until Kenshin and Kero rescued her.

 _Brave… I must be brave. Ken-nii and Kero-chan are counting on me._ Sakura eyed Sōjirō's back, wondering about what could be useful to Kenshin. "Um, excuse me, er…"

The man turned his head to the side to see Sakura. "Oh, do you not know my name? Ah, that's right. I only introduced myself to Battōsai-san. Forgive me. My name is Seta Sōjirō."

"T-Thanks, Sōjirō-san… Um, what other Clow Cards do you have?"

Sōjirō chuckled, clearly having realized that Sakura was trying to pump him for information. "I will tell you this, Cardcaptor-san. Shishio-sama knew from the beginning that once he powerful enough that the government couldn't impede his quest to conquer Japan, they would turn to Himura Battōsai-san for help. Therefore in order to head off any threats, Shishio-sama sent the Wood, Erase, and Illusion Clow Cards to kill Battōsai-san. And yet, presumably with some help from you, Battōsai-san was able to defend himself and capture the cards."

Sakura gasped in shock, and stopped in her tracks. _Wood, Erase, and Illusion were sent by Shishio-san?! I thought that they were acting strangely and that someone was controlling them, but to hear it was Shishio-san … just how long has he been watching Ken-nii and I?_

Sōjirō continued, unaware of Sakura's surprise. "Battōsai-san's ability to survive even against magic has impressed Shishio-sama deeply. He now wishes to fight Battōsai-san personally, even if it means that he risks his plans of conquest. Of course, Shishio-sama is the strongest man in all of Japan so it is clear even before the match begins that Shishio-sama will kill Battōsai-san."

 _Nii-chan dying…_ Sakura shook her head of the vision of her dream she had before leaving Tokyo. She almost had a heart attack when she noticed Sōjirō standing right in front of her. She blinked when Sōjirō handed her an orange. "It is possible that Shishio-sama would like to fight you as well. He desires only honorable fights, so you should eat this to regain your strength. Unfortunately, I do not have bandages on me to warp your cuts, but there is a stream nearby you can use for water and cleaning the blood."

Sakura glanced at the fruit before looking up at Sōjirō. "So… was this your lunch?"

"Don't worry about me. Worry about your own wellbeing before others."

 _Well if he says it's okay…_ Grinning, Sakura snatched the fruit and all but shoved it entirely in her mouth. The juice dribbled down her cheek. _Oishī…_ She walked beside Sōjirō as they continued walking. Chomping on her food, Sakura studied Sōjirō. Despite working for Shishio and having killed, his manners and his kind treatment of Sakura's needs suggested that he wasn't that bad. However, it was difficult to determine his true intentions. After spending many months traveling with Kenshin, Sakura could detect when Kenshin's smiles or laughs were fake. His eyes gave himself away. Currently Sōjirō bore a small smile on his face, but it did not reach his eyes. _Why does he smile and laugh all the time when his face is expressionless? There must be a reason…_

Suddenly the ground beneath her gave way and Sakura titled to the left, away from Sōjirō. She cried out in surprise. A strong hand gripped her wrist and pulled her out of the hole.

"Whoops. Better watch your step. There are many traps and pitfalls in this forest."

 _Traps that were meant to get me, Ken-nii, and Kero-chan…_ Sakura swallowed as she gazed down at the deep hole. She couldn't even make out the bottom. If she had fallen she could have broken her neck. Sakura smiled up at Sōjirō. "Thank you, Sōjirō-san."

"I apologize for your loss of the orange. Perhaps we'll find some wild fruit and berries for you to eat on the way." Sakura's smile grew. Wordlessly, Sōjirō resumed walking.

As Sakura tried to follow Sōjirō, a slight pain went through her ankle. _Hold on a second! Chō-san said something about me stalling for time for everyone to catch up to me. Now that the Maze has returned into a Clow Card, they can find me! I just have to waste time!_ Trying to hide her grin, Sakura began to limp heavily. Sōjirō became further and further away from her. Eventually, Sōjirō decided that the distance between the two of them was too great and he turned around to watch Sakura hobble to him. A barely audible sigh escaped his lips. He turned his back to Sakura and bent his knees, so that he was almost sitting on the ground. Sakura stared at Sōjirō's back, completely baffled. _Why does he want me to do that?_ The silence stretched on and Sōjirō still didn't move from his prone position. _Well, um, all right…_ Sakura placed her hands on Sōjirō's back, pushed off of it, and leaped over Sōjirō's head.

"What are you doing?" Sōjirō asked, his tone suggesting a bit of confusion.

Sakura turned to Sōjirō and said straight-faced, "Leapfrog."

Sōjirō stared at Sakura as though she had three heads. The wind blew scuttling some leaves. Out of the blue, Sōjirō threw his head back and laughed. "Hahaha! Who would have thought the Cardcaptor would be such a naïve little girl? My, my…"

Sakura exhaled, annoyed. Though she didn't know what naïve meant, she was pretty sure she was being ridiculed. Once he settled down, Sōjirō explained, "No, Cardcaptor-san. Because you have injured yourself, I will carry you on my back. Please get on."

" _Hoe_ …" Sakura muttered, mortified. "I-I'm sorry…" She climbed on to Sōjirō's back and wrapped her arms around his neck. When Sōjirō stood up, Sakura said, "Thank you, Sōjirō-san." Sōjirō nodded again. "You know… you're actually kind of nice."

Sōjirō denied her statement. "No, I'm not. You're very mistaken to believe otherwise."

"But you gave me your lunch when I was hungry, you saved my life from the trap, and you're letting me ride piggyback when you don't know me very well. Only a good person would do that!" beamed Sakura. "Even my brother doesn't want me to ride piggyback anymore. He says I'm too big and fat. But you don't care!" Sōjirō shook his head, but Sakura continued anyway, resolved to convince this person that he had a good heart. His denials reminded Sakura of Kenshin, and it fueled her determination all the more. "Even if they are fake, why else would you smile so much if you didn't want your smile to be real? Or be kind if you didn't really want to be a good, happy person? You should stop working for Shishio-san and help Ken-nii and I!"

Sōjirō paused. He didn't move a millimeter. After a long moment that seemed to stretch into an eternity, Sōjirō hefted Sakura and said, "Hold on tight."

 _Tight? Why…_ "Ahh!"

Sōjirō ran into the forest, going speeds that rivaled Kenshin. _He's so fast… he's even faster than nii-chan without the Earthy Clow Card! So much for stalling for time…_

 _Shishio Makoto… it's time I get to see you face to face._

* * *

Kuso _! Sakura-chan, how many times have I told you to not run off?!_ His anger giving way to despair, Kenshin thought, _Oh, Sakura-chan, where are you?_

Kero flew by Kenshin and put a hand on his shoulder. "Blaming yourself isn't going to help, ya know. This is the Maze Card we're talking about. Even if Sakura stayed with us, we probably would have separated anyway." When Kenshin didn't respond, Kero sighed. "If only Sakura had the Fiery Card as well as Earthy, I could be in my true form and be helpful…"

Kenshin smirked at Kero. Now who was the one blaming themselves? Seeing Kenshin's smile, Kero snapped, "Oh quiet!"

"Sun guardian-sama, do you have any other ideas of how we can find Cardcaptor-sama?"

Kenshin and Kero turned to Misao. After a long moment of staring at Misao, Kenshin unsheathed his sakabatō and pointed it at her. " _Aa_ , you can take us to her, that you can."

"W-What?!" Misao gasped.

Kenshin took a step forward, his eyes narrowed in hate. "Your entire ruse has been a trap to lure Sakura away from this one and Kero so Shishio can kidnap her!"

From the beginning Misao recognized the trio on sight and even knew their identities and abilities. That alone caused Kenshin to wonder if she was somehow allied with Shishio, who was searching for them. In addition, she claimed (quite lamely, too) there was some "maniac with a sword" who had been chasing her. However, despite walking around for a couple of hours, they had yet to encounter any signs of this insane man. That didn't even include Misao's convenient elapse of memory in mentioning the traps in the Maze or that she herself was the one who suggested Sakura to lead the way to this man. If all this evidence wasn't enough to convince anyone that she was suspicious, then Kenshin wasn't hitokiri Battōsai in the Bakumatsu.

No, Kenshin didn't buy Misao's story for a second. He theorized that in truth, she worked for Shishio on some level. She or other henchmen under Shishio created the Maze and created the traps in it. Misao lay hidden within the Maze, waiting for the chance to meet Sakura, Kero, and Kenshin. Misao instantly bought Sakura's trust by making herself out to be a victim. Therefore, Sakura leapt up at the chance to defend her when she sensed magic. However, that said magic was not the one of an insane swordsman, but belonged to Misao. Misao led Sakura away from Kenshin and Kero and directly into another group of Shishio's men who would be ready to kidnap Sakura and take her to Shishio. If only Kenshin had realized Misao's true intent before Sakura had disappeared. The very thought that Sakura was trapped or hurt or possibly taken to Shishio was too much for the rurouni to bear. The hitokiri within him wanted blood.

Misao exploded in anger. "I would never hurt the Cardcaptor or work with that scum Shishio, you carrot topped, law breaking, girly man!"

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Kero snorted. "'Girly man'. And she doesn't even know how you like to cook and clean." Kenshin glared at him before returning his gaze to Misao.

"Normally this one would say 'step back if you don't want to be hurt'. But for hurting and kidnapping Sakura-chan, you will pay!" Kenshin lunged at Misao, his sakabatō at the ready.

"I keep telling you, you can trust-eep!" Misao ducked Kenshin's swing, but the sakabatō caught the cord holding her braid together and it snapped. "HEY!" Misao screamed, the force of cry starling Kenshin. She kicked him square in the face. "Don't you mess with my hair!" While the blow was unexpected, Kenshin quickly recovered.

Misao jumped back, her hair flying from her undone braid. Placing her hands on her hips, Misao examined Kenshin. "I don't suppose anything I can say will convince you that I'm telling the truth?" Kenshin shook his head, fiercely glaring at her. "It seems I must convince you with magic then, Himura. At least, it should be a good test of your magical ability." Misao muttered something that seemed like a prayer under her breath. Her fingers intertwined into a weird position.

Besides Kenshin, Kero gasped. "Stop her before she finishes!"

Needing no more encouragement, Kenshin jumped up above Misao. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūtsuisen!"

Misao opened her eyes. "Kuji Kiri! Rin! Power!" Misao back flipped, evading Kenshin's blade. After delivering a roundhouse kick to a nearby tree, the tree trunk cracked. With a large groan, the tree crashed to the ground. Barely able to keep from gaping, Kenshin watched Misao pick up the tree trunk with ease. Grunting, she swung the tree at Kenshin. He was sent flying.

"Kenshin!" Kero shouted. "Remember how you landed after the Jump Card!"

Knowing there wasn't a moment to lose, Kenshin closed his eyes, relaxing his taunt muscles that were braced in anticipation of a hard impact. He envisioned himself landing without injury. Almost immediately Kenshin felt strength flowing into his legs, giving him the ability to land on his feet without hurting himself. However, the force of Misao's blow caused Kenshin to skid backwards a couple of meters before he fell over backwards and rolled feet over head several times.

Refusing to allow an opportunity for Kenshin, Misao cried, "Kuji Kiri! Kyo! Energy!" A sickle of air flew towards Kenshin. Gathering his feet from underneath him, Kenshin jumped to the side. He ran through the trees, dodging more air sickles. Behind him, trees were felled by Misao's onslaught. After one close shave by his head, the magic within detected that the sickles were actually condensed energy made physical.

"Are you all right?" Kero asked, flying by Kenshin's ear.

"What magic is she using?" Kenshin asked, baffled. Her magic was unlike anything Kenshin had even seen or heard of before.

"It's ancient ninjutsu magic, based on meditation and ritual processes, Kuji Kiri. It is nine different hand signals made while saying prayers or mantras that unlock one's deepest magic potential. Each hand signal corresponds with a different magical ability that is unlike any other magic."

"And what are those abilities?"

"Um… that's the extent of my knowledge on da subject. But the good news is that after she uses all nine hand seals she should be out of magic!"

Before Kenshin could mutter _Hotaru_ , another sickle headed towards him aimed at his face. Jumping to escape into the trees, Kenshin leaped from tree to tree, knowing approaching Misao on the ground was all but impossible. Misao continued to send more energy attacks into the trees, but combined with speed and his ability to blend into the shadows, Kenshin was invisible to her. Once Kenshin was safely tucked away in a tree above Misao, he stopped. Misao turned her head this way and that, searching for him. She frowned in annoyance. Dropping out of the tree, Kenshin shouted, "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Doryūsen!" Instead of attacking Misao directly, Kenshin slammed his sakabatō deep into the ground, sending dirt and rocks at Misao.

"Kuji Kiri! To! Harmony and Protection!" The grass around Misao's feet grew up into the air. They curled over Misao's head, cocooning and shielding her against Kenshin's barrage.

Undeterred, Kenshin launched into his second attack. He entered the battōjutsu stance. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Sōryūsen!" Swinging the sakabatō out of its sheath, Kenshin destroyed Misao's grass barrier. His metal sheath in his left hand, he swung the sheath at Misao's stomach. Completely caught off guard, Misao flew into a nearby tree with a sickening crunch. She slid to the ground, her head hanging limp.

Straitening, Kenshin sheathed the sakabatō. "Are you done fighting now? Tell me where Sakura-chan is immediately or you will suffer the price."

Misao struggled to her feet. Yet again, she folded her hands into weird positions. "Kuji Kiri. Sha. Healing." In front of Kenshin's eyes, Misao's broken ribs mended themselves. She grinned at Kenshin. "Are _you_ done fighting yet? Because this is the most fun I've had since Aoshi-sama left years ago."

Frowning, Kenshin considered his options. Allowing any sort of distance between him and Misao was suicidal; she had plenty of long range attacks in her arsenal. However, other than her _kunai_ she was defenseless when in close quarters combat. If Misao was forced to hold her _kunai_ in her hands, she couldn't be able to unleash her magic through the hand seals. Kenshin hefted his sakabatō and grinned. He could handle a fight against _kunai_.

"Kuji Kiri! Kaï! Premonition!"

Hearing Misao's words, Kenshin cursed violently. What were the chances? Sensing Kenshin's intentions because of her magic, Misao jumped up, grabbed onto a branch, and swung herself onto it. Kenshin followed her into the canopy of the trees, and a crazy goose chase ensued.

"Red head!" cried Kero somewhere below him. "Where in the world are you? Stop jumping through the trees like a monkey and fight like normal people!"

 _That's what I would love to do, but magic is a real pain in the neck! Well, at least she's used five hand seals already. That means only four left._ For being distracted, Kenshin paid dearly. Misao stopped leaping through the trees long enough to throw one of her _kunai_ at Kenshin, cutting his right cheek. Growling, he yanked the _kunai_ from the bark of the tree he was on. _It's time to end this farce._

"Kuji Kiri! Jin! Awareness!" Kenshin returned the _kunai_ to its owner, with a deadly spin to it. Misao snatched the _kunai_ out of the air. "Ha! You're going to have to try better than that, Himura! Instead of just relying on your sword, you should use your mag-Aah!"

After Kenshin threw the _kunai_ at Misao, he shot his metal sheath at the branch Misao was standing on, cracking it. Acting on quick reflexes, Misao used the seventh magical hand seal. "Kuji Kiri! Retsu! Time and Space!" To Kenshin's utter shock, time slowed down making everything move slowly. However, Misao was unaffected by the spell she had cast on the area. She bent her knees in order to jump to another branch, but despite her magic, her weight was too much for the already weakened branch. Her spell ending, time returned to its normal speed, and Misao fell towards the ground. "Kuji Kiri! Zaï! Creation!"

Once again, Misao's magic called upon the ground. The grass underneath the tree grew, cushioning her landing. Kenshin jumped down to the forest floor. Standing up, Misao panted heavily. She wiped the sweat off of her forehead. "You really are starting to anger me… I'm on the last hand seal. And once I'm used that, I'll be out of energy to conduct magic."

Misao shifted her stance, her foot brushing against Kenshin's sheath that had fallen on the ground. A bit of the ground by the sheath crumpled away. _Huh…?_ Realization dawned on him and the beginnings of a plan began to take shape in his mind. _I got you now, you traitor._

Turning his body sideways, Kenshin placed the end of the sakabatō hilt in the palm of his other hand. The tip pointed at Misao. "Then you only have one last sneaky ninja trick up your sleeve before this one bests you. You have the choice of telling this one where Sakura-chan is before or after he finishes you."

Misao regarded Kenshin silently, her eyes gazing deep into Kenshin. She raised her hands. _So be it._ With a battle cry, Kenshin lunged at Misao, fully intent on crushing her.

"Kuji Kiri! Zen! Enlightenment!"

Kenshin slowed down, shouting, "Kero!"

Misao's head turned to another part of the woods. Kero flew towards Misao like a speeding bullet in the direction Misao predicted, screaming, "ANNOY!"

"What the-" Misao ducked as Kero sailed over her head.

Just as Misao straightened, Kenshin was upon her. He swung his sakabatō at Misao's shoulder, but she caught the blade with her _kunai_ and shoved the blade aside. She raised her other hand to punch Kenshin, however Kenshin did something Misao could have never foreseen. He pushed her backwards. The ground underneath Misao fell away to reveal a large pit trap yawning open its jaws, about to swallow Misao whole. Misao caught herself from falling into its deep recesses by gripping the rim of the pit. Kenshin stamped his foot onto Misao's exposed hand and pointed the sakabatō at her neck.

"How did you…?" Misao gasped.

Kenshin noticed the ground behind Misao was a pit trap because of the strange appearance of the dirt by his sakabatō sheath. After Kenshin heard her hand seal was enlightenment, Kenshin deduced it was similar to previous hand seal that allowed her to predict the future. Kenshin operated on the correct assumption that the enlightenment hand seal only allowed Misao to foresee what occurred next, not what a specific person was going to do next. Unwilling to let Misao realize Kenshin's plan to push her into the pit trap, Kenshin ordered Kero to distract Misao before Kenshin attacked. Misao only predicted Kero flying at her and not Kenshin's shove. Therefore Misao was completely caught off guard.

Kenshin decided not to waste his breath to explain this to her. Putting pressure on Misao's fingers, Kenshin narrowed his eyes at Misao. "Falling from this height won't kill you; it will only break bones. Therefore I have no qualms with helping you release your grip. I will only repeat myself once." Kenshin accented each word with a crunch of Misao's fingers. "Tell. Me. Where. Sakura-chan. Is. NOW." Misao's only response was to suck in a painful breath and grimace.

"Kenshin."

Annoyed at the interruption, Kenshin looked up to see and was surprised to see Kero. In his desire to grill answers from Misao, he had temporarily forgotten Kero's existence.

Kero gently admonished, "As angry as I am at the thought that Sakura might be kidnapped, I can't let you do this. You have to stop this."

A vision of Kenshin and Sakura's first meeting flashed through his mind. Sakura was bloody, bruised, and terrified out of her mind. Without a doubt, Shishio would do much worse to her. Gritting his teeth, Kenshin hissed, "If one hair on her head has been harmed, I'll make every last one of them pay."

"Sakura would never want you to become Battōsai because of her. Part of the reason why we came on this journey with you is to protect you from letting that happen."

Kenshin drew in a sharp breath. _Is that true? Sakura-chan is always thinking of what's best for me…_ Kenshin lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes. His fists shook as he tried to keep the tremble from his voice. "This one… This one has been alone his entire life… Sakura-chan… Sakura-chan is the only family this one has. This one won't… This one can't lose her!" Unconsciously Kenshin added more and more pressure on Misao's hand as he spoke.

"You miss the Cardcaptor, don't you?" Kenshin opened his eyes and his and Misao's eyes locked. Despite the pain she was in, the only emotion Kenshin could see in her eyes was sadness. "And everyone else you left behind in Tokyo. Just like how I miss Aoshi-sama…"

Trying to keep his warring emotions from showing on his face, Kenshin added more weight onto Misao's hand and demanded, "How do you know of Kaoru-dono and the others?"

"I don't. Well, not personally at least. I'm a ninja. It's my business to know other people's secrets. Especially since you and the Cardcaptor are our only hope of defeating Shishio."

Kenshin scowled. _We're back to that again._

Misao did something that completely caught Kenshin off guard. She produced her _kunai_ from the sleeves of her outfit with her free hand and tossed them to the bottom of the pit. "I can't disarm myself of magic, but now that I'm out of ninja hand seals, I'm sure the guardian could counterattack any magic attacks I could throw anyway. I'll tell you what I know if you help me up."

Kenshin scrunched his eyebrows together, unsure of Misao's true intentions. "You'll tell this one about how you know?"

"Well, yeah, as long you take back everything you said. You know…" Misao tried to mimic Kenshin's voice, however in mocking him she chose to speak in a high falsetto instead of deepening her voice. "'Your entire ruse has been a trap to lure Sakura away from this one and Kero so Shishio can kidnap her' and 'But for the crime of hurting and kidnapping Sakura-chan, you will pay' and 'You have the choice of telling this one where Sakura-chan is before or after he finishes you-'"

"All right, all right. This one apologizes." Kenshin lifted his foot from Misao's hand and helped her out of the pit. He refused to let go of Misao's wrist and tightened his grip on it as he said, "However if the truth comes to light and you were involved in any way of hurting Sakura-chan you will-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Misao jerked her hand out of Kenshin's grip and waved Kenshin's concerned away with her other hand. "There's no need to play the bad boy Battōsai card with me." Kenshin's face flared red at Misao's statement but he honestly couldn't say if it was because of anger or embarrassment. Oblivious, Misao continued, "As we wander through this maze looking for the Cardcaptor, I'll tell you. About Shishio, how I ended up in this maze, Aoshi-sama, how I know about the dojo in Tokyo… everything."

Kenshin paused for a moment, thinking over her offer one last time. "So talk then."

"All right. I'll tell you… but first I want something precious of yours as reparation." Misao whipped her hand out and yanked at Kenshin's ponytail, stealing his tie keeping his ponytail together.

"Oro? H-Hey!"

Misao hummed happily to herself as she retied her braid. "All good now. Okay, so it's a long story so listen carefully…"

* * *

Finally arriving at their destination, Sōjirō placed Sakura down onto the ground. Sakura peered out from behind Sōjirō to see a path and six red arcs leading to a large wooden door set into the side of the mountain. The door was large enough to house a giant.

"What is this place?" Sakura ask Sōjirō tentatively. He had been silent the long route to here, but hopefully now he was more willing to engage in conversation.

"This is the Shrine of Six Gates, located halfway up Mt. Hiei. It is Shishio-sama's lair." Sōjirō smiled down at Sakura. "There will be no interruptions here, I'm afraid."

Sakura returned her gaze to the mountain. _Why would Shishio-san want to stay in a place inside a cold, empty mountain? When I imagine Shishio-san's place I see a mansion made of gold, complete with a smiling butler to show you the way in._ Sakura glanced up at Sōjirō.

"Is there something you need?" He smiled pleasantly down at her.

Sakura clamped her hands over her mouth and shook her head venomously. "No."

Sōjirō turned and began walking to the door, and Sakura quickly followed after. Using both hands, Sōjirō opened the door. Again Sakura hesitated, on the cusp of entering. It was really dark in there… From somewhere deep within creaking noises, the sound of dripping water, and booms resounded out of the mountain, reminding her of an old haunted house… Sakura looked to Sōjirō for reassurance. "U-Um, Sōjirō-san… there aren't any g-g-ghosts are there?"

Sōjirō half turned to Sakura and stared at her for a long moment. He turned back to the shrine and walked deeper into the mountain, shaking his head.

"S-So is that a no or…" Sakura thought she heard something in the underbrush behind her. Crying, Sakura threw out her hands in front of her and speed after Sōjirō. "Wait for me!"

Sakura and Sōjirō stepped out into a small platform made of rock, opening up into a large canyon of sorts below them. _Sugoi!_ Sakura looked around, captivated. _It's a lot bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside._ It was too dark and deep to clearly make out the ground, but Sakura could see several very tall stalagmites reach up towards them. The rock ceiling stood far above them, riddled with stalactites. Before them a long wooden bridge stretched out off the cliff to another cliff over fifty meters away. Sakura thanked every god she knew that there was no wind to shake the bridge as she and Sōjirō crossed it.

"Stay close to me, Cardcaptor-san," Sōjirō instructed. "This isn't just a maze, it's a labyrinth. One wrong turn may trigger a storm of traps." Sakura nodded, resolving to never let Sōjirō leave from her sight.

Once the bridge and a fair number of narrow stone pathways was behind them, the floor, walls, and ceilings became tiled, as though they were inside an elaborate house or shrine. Upwards paths made of stone were replaced with never ending staircases. Eventually Sōjirō opened a set of doors to a large area with a high ceiling that stretched upwards for several stories. Before them, a statue stood prominently on display. It seemed they reached the shrine under the mountain that gave it its name: The Shrine of Six Gates. Staircases stood on either side of the statue's stand, leading to a wall of doors that were visible from where Sakura stood. Even more doors and hallways were on the first floor close to the stairscases. Following Sōjirō up the stairs, Sōjirō walked down a hallway on the second floor. Sakura hadn't noticed it at first because its entrance was hidden by shadows. _In fact_ , Sakura noted as she clutched her key shaped pendant, _there's barely any light in this entire place. The only light is from the torches set into the walls._ Yet again, Sakura found herself wondering just why Shishio would choose to reside in such a location when Sakura felt it. _Magic. There is very old magic here… in the ground below the shrine. I guess it's not odd that a shrine would be here then._

Sōjirō continued to lead the way past several more hallways and dozens of rooms. As they traveled deeper into the shrine, Sakura tried to convince herself that there was no ghosts watching her every move. Finally they stopped before a room with large doors in the back of the shrine. Sakura glanced around in the area, noticing a lack of other doors and windows. _There's nowhere to run to…_

Sōjirō placed his hand on the door. He glanced down at Sakura. "Are you ready?"

Sakura swallowed, summoning up her courage. _Everyone is depending on me… I know Kero-chan and nii-chan will find me in time!_ She nodded.

"Very well, Cardcaptor-san."

Sōjirō was about to open the door when Sakura reached out a hand and stopped him. He blankly stared at Sakura. Only now did Sakura realize that Sōjirō had never called her by her name. "Please don't call me Cardcaptor! Call me by my name. It's Kinomoto Sakura." Sakura smiled sweetly.

Sōjirō smiled a more genuine smile, before something darkened in his eyes and it melted away. "The only thing that matters about you is that you are the Cardcaptor. Nothing more."

Sakura frowned in disappointment. She had seemed able to reach him earlier, so why not now? Perhaps it was because of their close proximity to Shishio, or that he simply wasn't as easy to read as Kenshin was. Annddd now that she had been thinking about Sōjirō she lost all of the courage she had summoned in preparation to meet Shishio. An ominous sound echoed throughout behind her, reminding Sakura that she didn't have the luxury of wasting time. Sōjirō slid open the shoji door, moved aside, and gestured to Sakura to walk in before her. Pretending to be more confident than she felt, Sakura lifted her chin and stepped inside. Sōjirō followed her and closed the door behind them.

The room was quite large. Placed on shelves and cabinets along the walls were various knickknacks and pottery. Walls scrolls adorned the room. Large wooden beams spread symmetrically throughout the area supported the ceiling. A folding screen depicting a bloody battle sat in the center of the back wall. Several candles and andons lit up the area.

Sitting on top of several tatami mats in front of the folding screen sat a man almost completely covered in white bandages. The only things visible from underneath his bandages were little tuffs of black hair dispersed on the top of his head, his mouth, and his eyes. His lips and the skin around them were brownish black and appeared to be shriveled up like a corpse. His eyes contained a light of madness within them, as though the fires that had burned his body were still boiling within him even after ten years. He wore a purple kimono but he didn't put his one arm through the sleeve, leaving the sleeve to hang down at his waist. Something akin to a headband (that was also covered in bandages) sat right above his eyes and ends of the bandages wrapping dangled down from it, covering where his ears would be.

Another man stood beside the man in bandages. He had short brown hair swept away from his face, and the couple of lines on his face suggested he was older. Draped around his shoulders was a large green Western jacket with a furry collar and cuffs. Underneath he wore a tan Western suit. However, Sakura only had an eye for the man wrapped in bandages.

"Shishio Makoto-san…" Sakura murmured.

Shishio smirked. "Such manners coming from a child. And you must be the Cardcaptor, the one person in the world, no-of all time, who has enough power to keep the world in a magical balance." It was an honorable duty, but the way Shishio spoke he made the Cardcaptor position sound as though there was a dark side to the role.

Sakura unconsciously glanced over at the man standing to the right of Shishio. Seeing Sakura's gaze, Shishio explained, "Sadojima Hōji. My second in command, tactician, and strategist."

Besides her, Sōjirō nodded. "And I am the most powerful swordsman and magician working under Shishio-sama. Of course, Shishio-sama is much greater than I."

Trying to keep the tremble of trepidation from her voice, Sakura challenged, "Why do want to take over Japan? Why do you use magic in such evil ways? Is it for… revenge?" Since coming to the Meiji era, Sakura had heard the word revenge to last her a life time. The thought of revenge sickened her. Didn't people realize that nothing could change past wrongs? It was like Kenshin and Kaoru said, the only thing that mattered was moving forward.

With such allegations running around in her head, Sakura was very shocked when Shishio pronounced, "I have no desire for revenge against those who gave me these wounds or the government. In fact, I thank them for it. These wounds burned many lessons into my body and mind. Trust and be betrayed. Relax your guard and be killed. Kill before you are killed. I am a man forged by the chaotic hellish times of the Bakumatsu, a man of unquenchable ambition.

"By the times my wounds healed, there was something called the Meiji government. A government made up of fools that won't send their army against a half dead being like me because they fear how Japan would appear to foreign countries. A government of weaklings. Of ants. I cannot leave this nation to a government like that!" Shishio snapped, the volume of his voice raising suddenly. "If the revolution of the Bakumatsu is over, then I'll start another one. And this time, I'll gain control of Japan and make it stronger!"

Sōjirō and Hōji applauded Shishio, grins on both of their faces, but Sakura could only gape, horrified. This was worse than Sakura could possibly imagine. It seemed that, in his own way, he loved Japan and wanted it to be as strong of a country as possible. But his method was nothing short of madness! Start another civil war just so he could take control?! Sakura dipped her head, her face crisscrossed by shadows. She clenched her fists as a wave of anger stronger than ever before in her life coursed through her. "Nii-chan had to leave Tokyo because of _that_? If you start another war people will suffer and die all because you want to take control of Japan…" Sakura lifted her head and screamed, "At that point why not become a politician instead?!"

To Sakura's great annoyance, Shishio, Hōji, and Sōjirō only laughed. Hōji sneered, "It seems the Cardcaptor is only what she appears to be. A puny, naïve, little girl with nothing but sunshine and rainbows in her head."

Frowning, Sakura shook her fist. _And what's so wrong with sunshine and rainbows?!_

Hōji rubbed his hands together and bent slightly at the waist to Shishio, similarly to a dog groveling at the feet of his master who wished to lap up the leftovers of the meal. A fanatical smile grew on his face. "Surely such a girl couldn't possibly comprehend the greatness of Shishio-sama nor his grand plans to bathe the world in hellfire-"

" _Mou ii_ , Hōji." Shishio slowly examined at Sakura his gaze resting at her pendant around her neck for a moment. "Where you see only a little girl I see potential."

Despite Shishio's explanation, there was one thing missing. "What about the Clow Cards?" Sakura asked. "How do you know about magic?"

Shishio chuckled. "It was quite a surprise. On the night that I was betrayed by my fellow Ishin Shishi warriors, they attacked me, and then tried to burn my body. But my desire to live was so strong, that it awakened a power within me that I had no previous knowledge of: the ability to control fire with magic. Over the next ten years, I have cultivated my ability and have searched for others who also had magic buried within them and the best swordsmanship skills, all so that the day will come when I rule this country." Shishio stood up, a sadistic grin on his face. "And then one day I learned of something called the Cardcaptor, a role given to the most powerful magician of all time."

Shishio took one menacing step towards Sakura and then another. "The Cardcaptor alone can control the mighty Clow Cards, which manipulate the elements of the earth and give the Cardcaptor the sole ability to keep the world in magical balance…" He continued to walk towards Sakura, his inhuman smile never leaving his face. When he finally stopped in front of her, he towered over her and Sakura had to fight the urge to wish she could disappear through the floor. "…or throw it into chaos. Such a power would make taking control of Japan all the easier."

 _Throw the world in magical chaos?! You'll destroy the world!_ "W-What do you want with me?" Sakura asked, stepping back. _If Shishio-san wants me to help him do that I won't! I refuse!_ Shishio raised his hand by Sakura's face. Thinking he was going to slap her, Sakura tried to turn and run away. However, Shishio grabbed Sakura's chin in a vise grip and twisted her face towards him.

"To become a Cardcaptor, I'll kill you."

Sakura froze, her blood going cold. "S-So then, you… you brought me and Kero-chan into this time… just so you can kill me?"

Shishio smirked. "That is correct." He squeezed Sakura's chin harder for a moment before letting go.

Sakura stumbled back a couple of steps, her mind and heart racing. _I came back into the past, all so he can kill me and become the next Cardcaptor? It's true the role of the Cardcaptor goes to whoever is the strongest magician, but…_

Once a realization hit her, her confidence returned. After releasing her wand from its pendant form with a chant, Sakura spun it around before pointed it at Shishio. "And who says you're the next strongest magician after me?"

"Oh?" Shishio said, amusement in his voice. "Are you implying you think there is yet another that could challenge my power?" Shishio shook his head. "If you mean Battōsai, it is impossible. He has only begun to develop his magic after he came into contact with you. I have been training for ten years. Such a pitiful attempt at misdirection will not work."

Sakura gasped. _He knows that Ken-nii has magic? But how?_

"Actually, Shishio-sama…" Sōjirō crossed his arms with one hand resting on his chin. "I recall seeing a young boy around the Cardcaptor-san's age when I delivered your message to and fought Battōsai-san. It was the Cardcaptor who used the wind magic, and sealed the Earthy Card, but now that I think about it… it's possible that young boy was responsible for the lightning magic, in which case he is quite the magician in his own right."

 _Oh no… Syaoran-kun… what have I done?_

"Is that so?" Shishio asked, intrigued. "Do you believe he is one of the Oniwabanshū onmitsu magicians based in Kyoto?"

Sōjirō firmly shook his head. " _Īe_. The clothes he wore were strange and suited for magical combat. By the way he rose up to the occasion to protect the Cardcaptor, I suspect that he is a friend of hers. That means he came from the future." Sōjirō lifted his head to face Shishio, his expression slightly serious. "If he traveled through time through his own magical ability, then his power is far more formidable than anyone imagined."

Shishio grunted. "What do our spies tell us about his location?"

A vision from her dream the night she left Tokyo flooded Sakura's mind. _No… it can't be coming true… this can't be happening… I can't…_

Hoji leapt at the opportunity to explain. "He, along with the other residents of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū dojo, is currently aboard a boat heading towards Kyoto. We already sent a present for them earlier. In fact we should hear a report detailing their demise within the hour," he grinned evilly.

Shishio laughed and said something in reply, but the only words Sakura could hear was that Syaoran and all of her friends could have met their demise. That they could be dead. "No… Sanosuke-san, Yahiko-kun, Tsubame-chan, Kaoru onee-san, and Syaoran-kun… dead? No, no…" Sakura whimpered. "I can't… I won't…" A surge of anger and despair coursed through, igniting something deep within her. It blew out in waves from her soul to the tips of her fingers and toes, to blasts of gusts that spiraled out of her, buffeting everyone around her as she screamed, "I WON'T ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN!"

Wall scrolls, the folding paper screen, tatami mats flew around the room and pottery and statues smashed into a thousand pieces. The flames on the candles blew out immediately, but the flames hidden within the andons that fell to the ground, caught the wooden floors on fire. Within moments, the fire grew to ten times its size. Instead of the wind Sakura created extinguishing the flames, it seem to feed on the own fire of Sakura's soul, burning just as bright and hot as the sun. A spider web of cracks appeared on the floor, spiraling out from underneath Sakura. They grew larger and longer until they reached the pillars in the room. Then they too began to crack, the ceiling starting to give way. All at once, pieces of the ceiling began to fall onto the ground. Shishio, Sōjirō, and Hōji were forced to take cover, retreating and regrouping with each other. Deep rumbling and crashing in the distance echoed throughout the base, the ground shaking with each boom.

The entire mountain was coming down.

* * *

A few hours before Sakura had been kidnapped by Sōjirō, Sano walked through the very same forest, on his way to Kyoto. Growling obscenities under his breath, Sano looked up at the sun, trying to determine where in the world he was. He knew he was in some forest close to Kyoto but after hours of trekking through the woods he hadn't made any progress at all. He took out a compass from his pocket and dangled from his fingers the magnet compass marked north and south. Unfortunately the compass spun wildly.

"Argh! How the hell do I get out of this maze?!" Sano cried, tossing the compass over his shoulder.

Little did he know that he actually was trapped in a magical maze.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Aa-An informal yes

Andon-Traditional Japanese lamp

Hotaru-Firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Īe-No

Kuji Kiri-Nine hand signals or seals that are made when a person in meditating and praying a sutra, reputedly believed to unlock spiritual powers.

Kunai-Japanese daggers that ninja use as weapons

Kuso-general Japanese expletive that can be translated as "shit"

Maze-One of the Clow Cards. It has the power to trap people in mazes in dimensions that it creates. Maze's mazes are fourth dimensional, and can repair walls that have been broken, and raise walls to make them impossible for people to climb over them. It cannot be sealed from the inside. Maze has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to confuse other people.

Mou ii-Enough, that's enough

Oishī-Delicious

Onmitsu-ninja

Sōryūsen-A Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move that begins with a standard battōjutsu, only the sheath is not fastened to the body by an obi. After striking the opponent with the sword, the user attacks with the sheath that is held in the other hand.

Sugoi-amazing

Tatami-Japanese mat or floor covering that people place on the floor and sit on

* * *

As Kero explained within the chapter, Kuji Kiri is based on prayers, or sutras, chanted while meditating and making nine different hand signals or seals. I translated the names within the chapter so they aren't in the dictionary. The only confusing signal is Harmony and Protection. It's supposed to be harmony with the universe and protection, but that is too long to be shouted as a fighting move name so I just use harmony and protection. That's why when Misao uses it, she protects herself with grass. The websites that I learned Kuji Kiri from are: -learning-network and www. dragonsofjustice basic/ kujiInBasics. html (remove the spaces).

Hi, Halley Vanaria! Sorry about the cliffhanger for the last chapter and this one. :) Unfortunately, school has started a couple of days ago for me. Judging from the syllabus, I'm going to have a lot more homework than I expected and I may be forced to post chapter biweekly on Wednesdays instead of once a week. I'll give everyone a heads up when that happens in the author notes. I'm really sorry for this, but I hope you'll continue reading the story. Thank you for your review!

Next Chapter: Syaoran, Yahiko, and Kaoru travel on a boat to reach Kyoto and hopefully reunite with Kenshin and Sakura. However, Shishio has sent the Watery Clow Card to capsize and sink the boat! With Watery being the master of the sea, how can Syaoran, Yahiko, and Kaoru defeat it?

Thanks for reading! I'm really sorry about the possible upcoming delays, but I hope that you will continue reading


	16. Fiery Water!

Here is the next chapter on time, thanks to fanfiction .net fixing the login in glitch (although I still lost my old stats for the last chapter.). Hopefully despite the updates that are going on, fanfiction .net will continue working fine. I have a several papers and tests due at the end of September, so when we get closer to that time, I may have to post the next chapter bi-weekly but for now I think everything is all right. Again I apologize for the possible upcoming delays!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin, because he belongs to Kaoru and vice versa. And I don't own Sakura because she belongs to Syaoran and vice versa, when, you know, they're older and can be in a proper relationship. :)

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Fiery Water!

Leaning against the railing, Syaoran smiled as he soaked in the sun and let the wind tease his hair. While Kaoru and Yahiko found the rocking of the boat nauseating, it relaxed Syaoran, allowing him a brief respite from his stress and worries. Syaoran closed his eyes. An image of Sakura appeared in his mind, along with the memory of riding a boat with her. Suddenly Syaoran was reminded of his current situation and absence of Sakura. Blowing out his lips, all of Syaoran's peacefulness disappeared. _Sakura… where are you?_ Syaoran opened his eyes and stared up at the sky, as though it held all the answers he sought. The sky's only response was the brewing of dark clouds on the horizon. Perhaps it sympathized with Syaoran's plight and chose to reflect Syaoran's tumultuous emotions.

"Hey Li." Besides Syaoran, Yahiko leaned heavily against the railing lining the boat, his arms dangling over the edge. The two boys were on the port side of the boat, near the prow.

"Hello," greeted Syaoran. "Are you feeling better?"

Yahiko snorted. "Define 'better'. If it isn't the contents of my stomach upheaving keeping me down then it's thinking about how everything is screwed up." Syaoran nodded, understanding exactly how that felt. Yahiko was quiet for several minutes leading Syaoran to believe that he was done talking, when he heard Yahiko mutter under his breath. Glancing over, Syaoran noticed Yahiko clenching the railing with a death grip. "Stupid Kenshin. How could he just leave everyone like that? Especially Kaoru. And why didn't Sakura tell anyone…"

Since Sakura, Kero, and Kenshin left, Yahiko alternated between being aloof and angry. He remained sullen and quiet, often staring off into the distance with a small frown on his face. He snapped at anyone whenever he thought they were asking a stupid question. But for as many rude remarks he said, Yahiko gave just as many encouraging comments, albeit in an annoyed tone. If his words now were any indication, it seemed that Yahiko was hiding his own pain behind anger and desire for isolation. Realizing thus, Syaoran took a minute to think of a way to comfort him without being obvious and igniting his anger.

"At least you'll have a lot of adventures to tell Tsubame when this is all over," Syaoran offered.

At the mention of Tsubame, Yahiko's eyes were filled with sadness for a moment. "Wait, that's right!" He cried, straightening. "Tsubame and her family moved to Kyoto to take care of her grandmother!" Yahiko grinned at Syaoran. "That means…"

Syaoran smiled. "They did? Then maybe you can see her." Syaoran doubted that in such a large city they would be able locate Tsubame. Even if they did, they risked endangering her in their search for Shishio. Syaoran knew Yahiko felt the same pain Syaoran did when he was separated from Sakura. So regardless of the odds, Syaoran reassured Yahiko, hoping it would console him. After surviving all the dangerous encounters with the Clow Cards together, they became friends.

Kaoru emerged from below decks and walked up behind the boys with a smile on her face. "Getting some fresh air, Li-kun? Yahiko?"

Yahiko mumbled some curse directed at Kaoru for being so chipper when he was miserable. Kaoru ignored him as she joined them. Inwardly Syaoran wondered how much of Kaoru's cheer was real, since, as Yahiko pointed out, she was the one hurting the most from being separated from Kenshin. "You okay?" Syaoran asked her in a whisper.

"I'm fine, Li-kun. It's just…" Kaoru put a hand on her chest and gripped the fabric of her kimono over her heart. Lowering her head, she frowned slightly and her eyebrows knitted together as though she was in pain. She sighed and then said, "I don't know… It's just that ever since we stepped onto this boat, I've had this horrible feeling… I can't shake it. And my chest hurts." Kaoru lifted her head. Her eyes went wide when she spied the growing storm. "That wasn't there ten minutes ago…"

Syaoran and Yahiko turned their heads to the sky just in time to see a lightning bolt pierce the sky. The water beneath the boat began to churn, rocking the boat more. Her voice barely audible Kaoru whispered, "Magic."

"H-Hey, there's no need to say that just because the storm is moving fast." Yahiko said. "Look, the wind is coming from the other direction. It's going to blow the storm away, not towards us."

"No." Kaoru gripped the railing until her hands became white, the wind whipping her hair wildly. "It'll be upon us in less than five minutes," she predicted with absolute certainty.

Yahiko gave Kaoru a look that conveyed his belief that Kaoru had gone senile. "How can you say that? How can you possibly tell?"

Knowing that Kaoru and Kenshin had magic within them from Sakura and Kero, Syaoran was inclined to believe her. _Still, for her to know the instant she boarded the boat something bad would happen and to realize the storm was magic before I did… Sakura is right. She really does have enormous power._

Kaoru wasn't the only one to recognize the dangerous potential of the storm. All other passengers on the boat were herded below decks by sailors. Sailors ran here and there in a barely suppressed panic as they checked on the ropes and supports, preparing the boat for the possible upcoming storm. Regardless of their efforts, fate was determined to thrust the storm upon them. As though just to spite Yahiko, the winds changed direction, the storm heading right towards them. The winds agitated the sea, rocking the boat harder. The sky became increasingly dark as the clouds finally reached above their heads. The sun was gone from their sight. If Syaoran didn't know better he would have believed it was night and not the middle of the day. Almost immediately, a heavy rain poured down, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Underneath such an assault of water from the heavens, Yahiko cried out something, but it was nearly impossible to hear him over the sound of the rushing wind. Syaoran could only make out "go down below". Syaoran glanced at Kaoru. She stared at the clouds brewing in the sky, the picture of cool confidence. It was clear she wasn't budging an inch.

Yahiko continued to shout things at the two of them, insisting Kaoru leave and asking Syaoran if he could stop the tempest. Between the roaring of the wind, Yahiko's screams, and the poor visibility from the rain, the trio almost missed seeing the cause of the storm. A dark shadowy creature just below the surface of the water shot like a rocket towards them, passing underneath the boat. Kaoru and Yahiko gasped at the sight. Syaoran thought, _It couldn't be!_

Everyone turned around to see the creature emerge from the waters and float next to the boat. A column of water poured off it to reveal… only more water. A ball of water reformed into a young female mermaid spirit with large webbed pointy ears. Two ginormous fins extended from its back and flapped menacingly. Opening its eyes, it bared its teeth and hissed at them, its sharp deadly claws poised and ready to attack.

"It's the Watery Clow Card!" Syaoran screamed. "Take cover!"

Kaoru, Yahiko, and Syaoran threw themselves at the deck just as Watery charged at them. Missing its target, it retreated down into the sea. The trio picked themselves up. Kaoru shouted at Syaoran, "How did you seal it last time?"

"Sakura sealed it on her own. I wasn't there. I think Sakura froze it in a giant freezer!" Syaoran replied, raising his voice over the wind and rain.

"A what?" Yahiko asked, confused.

"A FREEZER!" Syaoran yelled.

"What's that?!"

"A m-monster! There's a sea monster on board!"

Syaoran, Yahiko, and Kaoru's heads turned to the sound to see a young sailor quaking in his boots. Backing up, he put his fingers in his mouth and he continued to wail. Sighing, Kaoru snatched Yahiko's shinai off of his back and muttered, "This is the last thing we need right now…" Walking up to the man, Kaoru smacked the shinai into the palm of her other hand a couple of times. Addressing the sailor, she asked, "Are you going to stay quiet or do you need me to help you?" The man shrunk away, screaming. Whether he was screaming because of Kaoru's intimidating presence or of Watery however was unknown. The question would forever remain unanswered because Kaoru whacked the man with the shinai upside the head. He sank to the ground, unconscious.

Turning to Syaoran and Yahiko, Kaoru cried, "We can't let anyone else know about Watery!" She tossed the shinai back to Yahiko. "I'm going to grab my bokken and get these sailors down below! Li-kun, it's up to you!" Before Syaoran could object, Kaoru ran away from them. Even her shadow disappeared, lost in the rain.

"But don't we need the sailors to keep the ship from capsizing?" Yahiko asked, concerned. "Li, do you think you can seal Watery before that happens?"

Syaoran didn't answer Yahiko. His mind spun with a different possible scenarios each one more devastating than the last. Watery was one of the four elemental cards and therefore one of the most powerful. He had no ice magic to freeze it, only fire, water, wind, and lightning. He possessed three Clow Cards: Glow, Flower, and Wood. Fire and water magic wouldn't be successful for obvious reasons. And unless Syaoran could summon enough wind to create a tornado, wind wasn't a viable option against a powered up Watery that had the sea at its beck and call. Glow and Flower had no fighting potential, and Wood couldn't bind anything slippery like water. Lightning was his best choice for attacking, but… would that be enough to defeat Watery once and for all?

Before Syaoran procure a solution to the dilemma, something slammed into the side of the ship, and everyone cried out as they lost their footing. The ship leaned dangerously to the starboard, groaning. A large wave crashed onto the deck of the ship, soaking Syaoran and Yahiko to the bone. Just when Syaoran feared the boat was going to capsize, water smashed into the other side of the ship, straightening it. Syaoran and Yahiko fell back into the railing.

After picking himself up, Yahiko cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted, "We can't stop Watery like this! What are we going to do?"

 _We…?_ Syaoran smiled. When Syaoran first arrived at the Kamiya dojo he had believed everyone residing there were in cahoots in a scheme to kidnap Sakura and exploit her magic. Now they were comrades fighting an enemy that the dojo residents didn't have to risk their lives over but did anyway.

A spray of water in his face from the sea jolted Syaoran out of his thoughts. Unsheathing his sword and grabbing a _jufu_ , he pressed the _jufu_ to his sword. "We do this! _Raitei Shourai_!" Lightning shot from the _jufu_ striking the water surrounding the boat. "Come on out, Watery!" With a gurgling hiss, Watery materialized out of a puddle on the deck.

"Yahiko, do you think you can distract Watery? I'll protect you with magic as best as I can. I only need one opening."

Shinai in hand, Yahiko nodded. "I won't let this stupid card have its way!" Yahiko dashed to the right with a battle cry while Syaoran ran forward along the railing. Watery sent a blast of water in the space the two boys had just previously occupied. Yahiko dashed towards Watery, dodging discharges of water. Syaoran watched over Yahiko and used his wind magic to keep the worst of the water attacks off of Yahiko. Simultaneously, Syaoran checked the sky to see if it would cooperate with his strategy.

A few meters away from Watery, Yahiko raised his shinai about his head. "That's far enough!" Watery raised its hand at Yahiko, about to attack. Gasping, Syaoran realized Yahiko was defenseless. Syaoran was in the middle of casting a different spell; it would be too late to switch to wind magic and save Yahiko. Water spewed forth from Watery's hand, aimed directly at Yahiko. Yahiko bent his knees and jumped up above Watery, the blast of water missing. "Take this, you monster!" Yahiko began to swing his shinai down at Watery's head. Watery raised its other hand preparing for another attack. Air born, there was no way for Yahiko to run. He was a sure goner.

Syaoran pointed his sword into the air, screaming, " _Raitei Shourai_!"

From the sky a hurricane of lightning bolts rained down on Watery. Tossing its head back, it roared in pain as Yahiko's shinai crashed down on it. Watery transformed into a ball of water and disappeared into the sea.

Landing lightly on his feet, Yahiko asked, "Is it over?"

Syaoran dropped his sword arm to his side, fatigued. "I think so." Syaoran glanced at the churning sea below the boat. "The storm must be caused by Watery. It should stop s-soon…" Syaoran's eyes became as big as saucers and his mouth gaped as he beheld the sight before him.

Watery reemerged from the sea as the head of a massive water dragon. Its jaw was big enough to eat half of the prow. After swinging its head around, it opened its jaw at the ship and roared with the ferocity of a T-Rex. Syaoran and Yahiko were forced to cover their ears to keep them from bleeding. With a quickness that beguiled its size, the water dragon charged at Yahiko. Knowing there was no where he could escape to, Yahiko hefted his shinai again.

"Yahiko! NO!" Syaoran couldn't bear it if anyone person close to him was torn away from him again. Pointing his sword at the beast, Syaoran shouted, " _Fukka Shourai_!"

A barrier of wind surround Yahiko, but it did nothing to stop Watery. Before Syaoran's eyes, Watery parted Yahiko on both sides, leaving him completely untouched. It merged together in one wave once it passed Yahiko and headed towards Syaoran. Watery had tricked Syaoran. It baited Syaoran to protect his friend, leaving Syaoran, Watery's biggest threat, open to elimination. There was no time for Syaoran to think of a possible counterattack. With a blow that left him breathless, Watery slammed into Syaoran with all the force of a speeding truck. Syaoran hit the railing of the boat, teetered, and then fell overboard into the stormy sea below. Moments before Syaoran was dragged under the surface of the water, Syaoran saw Yahiko lean over the railing of the boat. His hand extended towards Syaoran and his was mouth open. As Syaoran crashed under the surface, he descended into a world of silence and isolation.

Syaoran sensed the sinister intent of the water around him as it dragged him deeper into the darkness. With the water pressing down on him, it was impossible for Syaoran to swim up to the surface and take a breath of air. He was dragged deeper into the darkness. Feeling dizzy, Syaoran raised a hand in front of his face. It was slightly blurry. With only a mild amount of surprise, Syaoran realized he was about to lose consciousness and drown.

 _No, I can't let that happen. Sakura, tell me what I should do!_

As if by some miracle, the thought of Sakura filled him with peace, banishing his panic and allowing him to think clearly. A light appeared from his chest causing Syaoran to open his eyes. The card he kept by his heart at all times was glowing and warm to the touch. With its light, Syaoran was able to see a mini whirlpool of water swirling around his foot, the source of what was making Syaoran sink. _That's it!_

 _Suiryū_ _Shourai!_ Syaoran thought, summoning his magic from within him. He grabbed the edges of the whirlpool and spread it apart. His water magic bested Watery's control of the tide pool, freeing Syaoran. Using what strength he had left, Syaoran swam up towards the surface, the light of the card guiding him. With a gasp, Syaoran broke the surface. Syaoran blinked his eyes open. His heart filled with despair as he realized he was over a half a kilometer away from the ship. There was no way for him to return to the ship of his own power.

"Li!"

Syaoran turned his head to see Yahiko on a lifeboat, rowing towards him. "Get on!"

Syaoran smiled once again. _Now they are saving my life. I can't possibly repay them for all that I owe them._ Swimming over, Syaoran reached the lifeboat and Yahiko helped him board. Syaoran thanked Yahiko.

"Don't thank me too much. It was my fault you fell over in the first place." Yahiko looked over his shoulder at the boat. His face fell as he whispered, "I have no idea how we're getting back."

Syaoran hefted his magical sword and grinned, "Oh, I don't know about that." Touching his card with his free hand and letting the end of his sword dip into the water, Syaoran cried, " _Suiryū_ _Shourai_!" Water burst from his sword and the lifeboat was propelled towards the ship.

Yahiko watched Syaoran preform his magic for a moment without commenting. In a quiet voice that was unusually filled with concern, Yahiko asked, "Are you okay? You've been using a lot of magic."

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine." _Thanks to this card giving me strength_ , Syaoran added mentally. "Watery isn't fighting against my water magic for some reason, so we should be all right…"

A defending roar pierced the air. The two boys looked up to see the water dragon several kilometers in front of the ship. It swam in one circle, followed by another circle, and another and another, with each rotation faster than before. Water from the sea began to rise, following the circular motion. Lighting crackled above and the downpour heightened in intensity. Syaoran and Yahiko gasped as the water beast was swimming in circles so fast it became a blur. The water continued to rise until it touched the sky.

" _Chikishō_ …" Yahiko muttered, horrified.

Watery had formed a water tornado. And the ship was heading right for it.

* * *

Kaoru nervously bit her nails, trying to refrain from the urge to scream. If she didn't do something quick, she was going to face a mutiny.

"I'm telling you, it was a _ningyo_! I saw it as plain as day. We must have done something to anger it. Now it's going to sink the ship and drown us all!" A crazed sailor shouted at the group of passengers and sailors gathered in the relative safety below decks. At the man's announcement, a few men looked around in fear. Women hugged babies close to their chest and several children began to cry.

Another older sailor with a large cap on his head stepped forward and backhanded his shoulder. "Come now what is this nonsense? Are ya sure you haven't been drinking too much? This ship is going to go down if you don't get yer butt in gear!"

"But it's true, captain!" Several others sailors came forward, all claiming they had seen a _ningyo_ , or a beast like mermaid, when in truth they had caught a glimpse of Watery. Kaoru groaned inwardly. She had been too slow in moving the sailors below decks before they saw the Watery Clow Card. On the flip side, the only way she had been able to convince them to abandon their duties was their belief that the ship was under attack by a mythical creature. To everyone's surprise the ship titled dangerously to the right. Crying out, everyone stumbled.

And yet if there was no one directing the ship through the storm, they were all going to die.

After everyone steadied themselves, the sailors continued their tale in earnest, describing the supposed _ningyo_ in great detail. "It had a face of a woman and human arms, but it had a scaly fish tail. Its ears were webbed and it had large fins on its back. And it growled at us, showing off its fangs and claws!"

A young boy screamed and pointed at a porthole in the side of ship. "Look!" Just outside the round window, a dark shadow swam by accompanied by the sound of thunder.

"It's the _ningyo_!" Someone shouted.

Hearing their fevered and highly detailed description from the sailors and the supposed _ningyo_ sighting in the sea, the other passengers of the ship came to fully believe there was a _ningyo_ besieging the ship. Even the captain muttered, " _Kami_ -sama, save us all." Everyone backed away in fear from the window. They fearfully murmured amongst themselves, eyes wide and faces pale. A few bemoaned the lack of places to run to while more children and babies wailed. The tension and fear in the air had quadrupled.

However, a few older burly men grew determined. One such man lifted a fist and cried over the sound of the rain, "It's kill or be killed! We have to storm at the beast and kill it before this ship goes down with everyone on it!" A few other men roared their assent and began looking for weapons.

"You can't!" Kaoru shouted, fighting panic. The men ignored her as they moved about, continuing her search. Grabbing the arm of man close to her, Kaoru pulled on it. "You'll all be killed!" The man smacked Kaoru away and she fell on the ground.

Armed with tools, sharp broken wooden boards, and large fishing hooks and nets, the men began to head towards the stairs leading to outside. Kaoru threw herself in front of the stairs, raising her arms to the side. "You can't go up there!" There was no way Kaoru could allow these men to risk their lives. Plus, at this very moment, Yahiko and Syaoran would be combating the Clow Card with magic. If they witnessed the battle, magic would be exposed to the world.

A man holding a large wooden club stepped forward. "Step aside, Missie. We have to do this to save everyone's lives, including yours."

"No!" Kaoru cried, ever stubborn. "You can't fight that thing!"

A tall, lanky man sneered, "And what, _you_ can? What can a woman like you do?"

Growling, Kaoru whacked him with her bokken before she realized her actions. Kaoru gasped in horror as the man slumped to the floor. Everyone stared at her with suspicion. Several men looked as though they were moments away from restraining her. One man grabbed her elbow. Desperate, Kaoru shouted the first thing on her mind. "I'll defeat that monster!"

Everyone gawked at her in shock. "Y-Yes, that's right!" Kaoru shrugged off the man's hand, rested her bokken on her shoulder, and placed her foot on the unconscious man's head. Giving the crowd her most confident look, Kaoru pronounced, "I'm a yōkai exterminator. I'll slay that beast. All of you amateurs will just get yourselves killed."

A woman in the back gasped, "How can this be?"

Kaoru dipped her head, letting her bangs covered her eyes, and chuckled. "You would never guess it by looking at me, but ever since I was a child, I've been raised to fight. I've traveled the world in search of prey and I've never lost." Lifting her head, Kaoru smirked, "And I don't intend to die just yet." The back of her mind screamed, _What in the gods' names am I saying?!_ But it was far too late to stop now.

A few of the men glanced at each other. A younger, timid man asked, "So how are you going to defeat it?"

"Ah…" Kaoru hadn't thought that far. _That's right, Yahiko and Li-kun are fighting Watery. I just need to stall and keep everyone down here-_

At that moment a young boy's voice louder than the raging storm screamed, "LIIIII!"

A could hand of fear seized Kaoru's heart. _Li-kun!_ With certainty, Kaoru knew that Syaoran had fallen overboard. It really was up to her to defeat Watery. _But how…? Yes, that's it! That's brilliant!_

"We need something flammable!" Everyone gave Kaoru a look that said that she was crazy. "Do it," snapped Kaoru. "Or else this yōkai slayer will exterminate you!"

After yelling and swinging her bokken, everyone began to search the cargo, even the woman and children. People ran here and there tearing through large boxes. Kaoru herself flittered between the rooms and people, overseeing and encouraging everyone in their search. However everything they found was either too small to be of any use or too dangerous to the passengers and the ship. _But I know for sure this is the right choice of action! So how…?_ Kaoru was startled out of her thoughts when a man called for her attention.

"Yōkai exterminator-san! We found something!" Without another word, Kaoru followed the man into the cargo hold. A young woman spoke in quiet tones to Kaoru as she explained her discovery. Examining the large container, Kaoru contemplated the use of its contents.

Kaoru shook her head. "No, we can't use oil. It'll blow the ship and everyone on it sky high." _And while this is a steam powered ship, I have no idea how the ship actually runs. Plus, like the oil, it'll probably blow up._ Sighing, Kaoru began to turn away when several small crates caught her eye. Before she knew was she was doing, her foot moved her to the crates. With a haste she couldn't explain its origins, she ripped off the top of the crates and threw the lid aside. Inside were canisters with fire inside them. If they were lit and set off by their intended means, the ship or its passengers wouldn't get caught in the crossfire.

Kaoru grinned. "Now _this_ I can use."

* * *

Climbing up the roof of the ship's superstructure, Kaoru had to stifle a gasp of horror. A colossal tornado made of water was a few kilometers in front of the ship. Lightning danced around the tornado and lighting and thunder echoed in Kaoru's ears long after it ended. The rain was so thick Kaoru was soaked in an instant. But despite this, Kaoru had to continue. For Syaoran. For Yahiko. She climbed out of the trapdoor and onto the roof of the room where the captain steered the ship. It was the highest place on the ship that she could access. She reached down through the trap door and took the crates from a man below. She placed the several crates she had picked out from the cargo hold and placed them on the roof beside her. This was it.

With a stern expression, Kaoru reprimanded, "I'll handle this beast by myself. Everyone must stay below or else they'll just be in the way and get killed." The man nodded, wished her luck, and closed the trapdoor.

Grunting with effort, Kaoru dragged several crates to the railing at the edge of the roof. After cutting the ropes that tied the contents together, she retrieved one of the long cylinder canisters and raised it to the sky. "Watery Clow Card!" She screamed as loud as she could. "Do you know what this is? It will destroy you in but a moment! So stop this madness now! This is your only chance!"

As far as Kaoru could tell, there was no response. The ship only continued to rock, all the while heading closer to the tornado. Kaoru couldn't let the ship get any closer to the tornado; she had to act now. After fumbling with a match for a bit, Kaoru lit the canister in her hands. Only for the rain and wind to extinguish the flame immediately. Kaoru sucked in a breath. _No! This is the only way we'll live…_ Kaoru lit the fuse again, but like the first time it blew out. After unsuccessfully trying again several times, Kaoru despaired. _We're… doomed…_

"Kaoru!"

Kaoru lifted her head to the side to see what looked like a small raft floating on the water and a young person standing on it. Another young child sat on the raft behind the first. _Yahiko? Li-kun?_ She lifted the canisters in the crates above her head. They were attached to each other by rope so she held quite a number in her hands. Facing Yahiko and Syaoran, Kaoru shouted, "FIRE!" When nothing happened, Kaoru shook the canisters in her hands and repeated her demand. "FIIIRE!" Then she made a throwing motion towards the tornado. Still no acknowledgment from the life raft. The tornado was now less than a kilometer from the ship. Water venomously attacked the ship's deck and between the harsh wind and the waves rocking the ship it was difficult for Kaoru to keep her footing. _Oh please,_ Kaoru prayed mentally. _Let him know what I need him to do._

The person in the back of the life raft stood up. They pointed their hands at Kaoru. All of a sudden, the canisters caught aflame with Syaoran's fire magic. Because the flames were backed by magic, they didn't extinguish in the rain or wind. A scream ripped out of Kaoru as she threw the canisters with all of her might. Syaoran's wind magic picked up the burning canisters and carried them with the speed of a bullet towards the tornado.

Realizing the danger, Watery sent a blast of water from the tornado towards the canisters, hoping to douse them. But it was too late. Before the water hit the canisters, they exploded into rays of color. Countless fireworks lit up the sky, its two thousand degrees flames ten times the temperature for boiling water. The intense heat of the fireworks evaporated Watery instantly. Watery didn't even have the chance to give one last roar of pain or indignation before it was utterly destroyed.

Water from the tornado flew outwards from the explosion with incredible force, soaking the ship. A blast of water and wind hit Kaoru, knocking her off of the ship and into the sea. The blow stunned her, but through sheer force of will, Kaoru recovered. She swam to the surface of the sea, gasping for air.

"Kaoru! Over here!"

Kaoru turned her head to see Syaoran and Yahiko on a lift raft near her. Yahiko dived out of the raft, swam towards Kaoru, and guided her to the boat. Syaoran smiled down at her from the life raft and helped her in. Coughing up water, Kaoru glanced behind her to see Yahiko climbing in the raft behind her. He smirked at her. "Geez, I don't have any magic but I saved both of your hides today." Kaoru smiled wearily at him, ignoring his teasing for now.

Yahiko turned to where Watery had created a water tornado. "Thank goodness the storm and tornado are gone. The clouds are starting to break up now. Well, slowly anyway. It's still dark as night. Oh yeah!" Yahiko looked at Kaoru. "How did you know the storm was going to hit the ship?"

Kaoru hesitated, unsure if she should tell Yahiko of her suspicions. However, Syaoran answered before Kaoru could stop him. "It's her magic. Her magic must be prediction related. Through visions, right?" Syaoran asked Kaoru.

Numbly, Kaoru nodded at him. She had suspected as such, but hearing the news aloud made her pause. It was a bit unbelievable to her. _I mean, seeing into the future?_ Kaoru thought. _What if I can't control my visions? What if I don't like what the future holds? Can I… can I change it? But the fortune Sakura-chan read me came true…_

"W-What?" Yahiko spluttered, shocked. He stared at Kaoru as he asked, "You have magic?"

"Yes," Syaoran answered for Kaoru once again. "And so does the kidnapper, although they need proper training to use it correctly.

"Wow… lucky…" Yahiko muttered under his breath.

Kaoru lowered her gaze. _I don't think it's that lucky, Yahiko_ , Kaoru thought. _To me, it sounds more like… a curse. And I don't know how to get rid of it._ Unconsciously, she shivered.

Seeing Kaoru shiver, Syaoran conjured up a small fire from his _jufu_. Kaoru smiled her thanks at him and he nodded in return. As Syaoran adjusted the fire, Syaoran explained, "I'm not the Cardcaptor, so I can't seal Watery. Even though Watery isn't in its Clow Card form, it should still understand that we defeated it so it won't cause any more trouble. Like the Glow and Flower Clow Cards I defeated before meeting Sakura, Watery should follow us until Sakura can seal it into a Clow Card using her Cardcaptor powers."

Kaoru touched her cheek with her finger. _Ah, so it that how it works? Interesting…_

The conversation about Watery reminded Yahiko of the fireworks. Yahiko looked towards the sky and said with a tinge of regret, "At least the fireworks were a good show."

Syaoran grinned. "Who's said the night is over?" Confused, Kaoru watched Syaoran stand up once again. Using his wind and fire magic, he blasted the leftover fireworks in the other crates on the roof of the superstructure into the sky. The fireworks exploded into gold and white above the ship, lighting up the sky. Kaoru, Syaoran, and Yahiko smiled at the sight. Together they soaked up the warmth from the fire and watched the beautiful fireworks in front of them, perfectly content. There couldn't have been a better way to celebrate their victory.

After a few moments had passed in silence, Syaoran spoke up, "Thank you, Yahiko, Kaoru-san, for helping me capture this Clow Card. I couldn't have done it without you."

Kaoru smiled down at him with a motherly warmth. "It's all right, Li-"

"No. Let me speak," Syaoran interrupted. "What I'm trying to say is…" Syaoran sighed and looked up at the fireworks as he began again. "…that you guys didn't have any idea that there was magic in the world, and yet you believed Sakura, Kerberos, and I. You _understand_ us." Syaoran turned his head to Kaoru and Yahiko and smiled one of biggest, most genuine smiles he ever had. "Thank you. Thank you for not letting Sakura, Kerberos, and I, be alone in this era."

"Of course!" Kaoru chirped. "How could any of us turn a blind eye to someone in trouble?" Kaoru was truly touched to hear Syaoran say such a heartfelt thanks. It seemed that all of his barriers of his aloofness had finally vanished and he accepted them as trusted and valued friends.

Yahiko smirked, "Yeah, well, it's not like we're helpless against the Clow Cards. I mean, I have Kamiya Kasshin-ryū." Growing excited, Yahiko leaned towards Syaoran and said, "I have a challenge. I'll master Kamiya Kasshin-ryū before you become a master magician. It'll be a race. So what do you think?"

Syaoran laughed. "The only 'master magician' title there is, is the Cardcaptor, which I can't become. But sure, whatever. I accept." Syaoran grinned at Yahiko. "And I won't lose."

Yahiko returned his grin. Then he gazed out across the sky to where Kyoto lay, his voice contemplative but determined. "No matter what Kenshin does, I'll do whatever it takes to catch up to Kenshin… and surpass him. I'm one step closer to him now."

"And Sakura!" Syaoran added, his smile bright. "I'll follow her anywhere!"

The two boys looked to Kaoru expectedly, waiting to hear what she was on her way to towards. Kaoru lowered her head and laughed quietly to herself. Putting an arm over each of the boys' shoulders, she lifted her head to take in the sight of the blazing fireworks. She whispered, "One step closer to the peaceful future Kenshin and Sakura-chan fight for…"

"Ew, get your arm off of me, _busu_. I might catch your disease and become ugly," teased Yahiko.

"Why you!" Kaoru shoved Yahiko and he tumbled out of the boat in the water. Unfortunately, the life raft titled dangerously to the side and the entire raft capsized, dumping Kaoru and Syaoran.

Yahiko laughed uproariously at their soaking wet forms. Growling, Kaoru splashed water into his face and an impromptu water fight began. Their shouts and laughs rang through the area as the light of the magical fireworks in the sky guided them on the path to Kyoto, the first step to their future.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Bokken-wooden stick used in dojos to train students; very similar to shinai

Busu-Ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Chikishō-Damn it; Shit

Jufu-a slip of enchanted paper that Syaoran uses, in conjunction with his sword, to use magic.

Kami-sama-god or Lord god

Ningyo-Japanese mermaid of legend, more beast than part humanoid

Raitei Shourai-God of thunder, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates lightning bolts that blast from his _jufu_ or the sky.

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Suiryū Shourai-Water god, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates large amounts of water from his _jufu_.

Yōkai-Mythological creature, but often translated into English as demon; Being called a yōkai can be equivalent to being called a monster.

* * *

Originally I was going to have Sakura capture the Watery card during the Future Foretold chapters before Kenshin learned about Shishio. That way at least, the more filler type chapters would have a Clow Card to develop the plot line. But because there was so many scenes I wanted to include, Watery's capture had to be short. I thought maybe making it turn the water of the dojo well red like in the last arc of the RK anime, but then I came up with this idea. My friend suggested that I evaporate Watery, since I couldn't have anyone freeze it, and then I decided to use fireworks. I have a question for my readers and I would greatly appreciate if you left a few lines to answer it. Do you guys like the next chapter previews or do you prefer that you don't know what is coming up next? Thank you, everyone and I hope you enjoyed!

Hiya, Hallery Vanaria! Yes, that's my goal. Again, I apologize for the inevitable upcoming delays. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Do you mind if I ask you a question (or two)? Do you read the next chapter previews I write? If you do read them, do you like that I say what's upcoming or do you prefer not knowing what is going to happen next? Thanks in advance if you do answer my question and thanks for your review!

Next Chapter: Stuck in the collapsing Mt. Hiei, Sakura needs to escape the mountain before she dies. She finds a very surprising rescuer from the person she least expected.

As always, thanks to my loyal readers for reading this!


	17. Arrival in Kyoto!

Here is the next chapter! Sakura must escape from a crumbling and burning mountain, while Kenshin learns of a new enemy. I have some major tests coming up, but my weekend should be free, so the next chapter should be posted on time. I hope you enjoy this new installment!

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters in any mangas or animes whatsoever, including Rurouni Kenshin and Cardcaptor Sakura.

* * *

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Arrival in Kyoto!

Crouching into the familiar form of the Gatotsu, Saitō couldn't help the slow feral grin creeping on his face. It was time to finish Shishio Makoto.

Like Kenshin and the little girl, Saitō declined the option of traveling to Kyoto by boat, choosing instead to take an inland route. He wanted to keep tabs on Kenshin, make sure he wasn't going to run away with the Cardcaptor at the last moment, and possibly get a glimpse of what magic really was. Instead what occurred was him getting lost in a giant maze in a forest on the way to Kyoto. It was through sheer luck Saitō had discovered a young man carrying the Cardcaptor on his back, Kenshin nowhere to be seen. Knowing instinctively that the man worked for Shishio, Saitō followed them. Perhaps Shishio wasn't that big of a threat if one of his men led him straight to his lair. When the young man-Sōjirō the Cardcaptor called him-and the girl entered the room with Shishio, Saitō decided to slink back in the hallway, eavesdropping.

"To become a Cardcaptor," a deep rumbling voice said from in the room, "I'll kill you."

A trembling high pitched voice of a girl replied, "S-So then, you… you brought me and Kero-chan into this time… just so you can kill me?"

"That is correct." The man answered. Saitō could hear the smirk in his voice. Just from the underlying tone of insanity in his voice, Saitō could deduce the man was Shishio.

Saitō's mind raced. _Magic can cause people to travel through time? The girl isn't from this era? Then from the future maybe?_ The more he pursued Shishio and the Cardcaptor, the more Saitō was realizing he was falling into a deep hole with no way back to the surface. Saitō snorted. _Well, time travel or no, cold steel still rings true in no matter what time period._

Saitō strained his ears to listen to the voices in the room. He refused to let himself be distracted by his own personal thoughts and feeling any longer and possibly miss some vital information about Shishio or the Cardcaptor. To Saitō's shock, the ground rumbled from underneath his feet. A couple seconds later, flames began to pour out of the cracks in the shoji doors in front of him. A strange wind accompanied the flames and they spread with a quickness that defied nature, heading down the hall. Clearly his time for speculation had ended.

Crouching into the familiar form of the Gatotsu, Saitō couldn't help but the slow feral grin creeping on his face. It was time to finish Shishio Makoto. With a battle cry, Saitō launched himself at the doors. The doors splintered and gave way under Saitō's sword. Smoke assailed Saitō's eyes as he scanned the room. _What the hell?_

Wall scrolls and other broken items lay discarded on the floor as if someone had flung them to the ground in a fit of anger. The pillar supports to the room were breaking apart and large chunks of the ceiling had fallen to the ground. Large rumblings echoing from deep within the mountain suggested the entire mountain was crumbling down. Flames covered the floor and walls. A few meters in front of him was the young Cardcaptor girl with her back to Saitō. She was floating-actually _floating_ -and gusts of wind spiraled around her. _Is this… magic?!_

In the back of the room a group of people stood together, the young man who had carried Sakura here, an older man in a western suit, and a man wrapped head to toe in bandages. Before Saitō could comprehend the sight before him, the bandaged man spoke. "Ah, Saitō Hajime. You've followed Sōjirō, I see. I am Shishio Makoto. Where is Battōsai?"

Saitō's eyes flickered to the young man he had first spied in the woods. "I think you know very well where he is." The young man only smiled in response.

Shishio chuckled. "Perhaps I do."

"Shishio Makoto," Saitō proclaimed, snarling, "I won't let you rule Japan and create an era of chaos for your own personal amusement." He entered his Gatotsu stance yet again. "You will die by my hand."

Shishio smirked. "I have no objection to fighting you. Even so, I'd rather fight with Battōsai present in Kyoto or in another hideaway I have made specifically for fighting. Therefore this meeting shall only remain that: a meeting." He pressed his hand to the wall and slid it to the side. The shoji doors disguised as a wall slid to the side to reveal a set of stairs descending into the darkness. "Tell me. Does Battōsai still wield his sakabatō, refusing to kill anyone?"

Saitō said nothing. To his great irritation Kenshin still carried the backwards blade at his side, professing to his equally backwards philosophy. By being asking about Kenshin in his place, knowing Kenshin's sakabatō and vow, made Saitō feel as though it was his fault that Kenshin hadn't become Battōsai again. Which made Saitō furious. He wasn't personally responsible for that stupid rurouni or whatever he called himself.

Shishio frowned, deducing the right answer from Saitō's expression. Walking down the stairs, Shishio accused, "Then he is a fool waiting to die by my hand." Waving a hand behind him, Shishio said, "Until we see each other again." Sōjirō and the older man followed Shishio, and the three vanished from sight.

"Running with your tail between your legs, it is?" Saitō muttered underneath his breath. At that moment, a support pillar snapped in half and a large part of the ceiling caved into the room, the mountain of rocks above the room coming down. _Never mind Shishio. It seems I have bigger problems._ If all the earthquakes and fire was because of the girl, he needed to reach her.

"Stop!" Saitō cried, taking a few steps in her direction. "Wake up, you foolish girl!" No response. The girl continued to float, her arms slightly away from her body and her hair blowing through the air. "Cardcaptor, if you continue, you're going to kill us all!" Still the girl ignored him. _Damn it all! What was her name? Something like flowers… That's it!_

"Sakura!"

Sakura slowly turned her head to look at Saitō. Her eyes were lifeless despite the tear tracks running down her face. …Unsettling. A shiver ran down Saitō's spine. Her lips moved and two names dropped from her lips in a monotone voice. "Syaoran-kun…? Kenshin nii-ch…?"

Those names seemed to be the only way to communicate with the girl, Saitō realized. "Syaoran, that boy you were with at the dojo, is on a ship sailing towards Kyoto, I believe. And Battōsai is no doubt heading to us as we speak. Now if you want to see them again, cease this utter nonsense." Saitō growled. He tried to be intimidating, however Saitō knew in the back of his mind he was useless when faced with magic as much as he didn't want to admit it.

A slow smile grew on her face. "They're alive? _Yokata_ …" The winds around her died and the girl's feet hit the floor. She swayed a bit and Saitō caught her with one hand. Another support pillar bit the dust and rocks hailed downward. The fire continued to spread.

"We need to get out of here." Saitō turned to leave when he heard the girl fall to her knees. Annoyed, Saitō exhaled and hefted the girl on his back. "Hold on tight," he bit out. Wisely, the girl obeyed. Saitō ran out of the room and down the hallway. To Saitō's surprise, in the short time he spent in the room, the fires had spread to the hallway. Holding an arm in front of his face, Saitō continued forward regardless of the flames. Sweating, Saitō undid the buttons of his police uniform jacket with a free hand.

At the end of the hallway, Saitō ran to the balcony overlooking the small shrine. The stairs to either side of the statue were on fire and collapsing. Placing a foot on the railing of the balcony, Saitō debated the wisdom behind jumping to the ground twenty feet below. However fate answered his question when a burning support beam crashed to the floor, blocking the doors.

"Tch. I don't suppose you can stop this fire or prevent the mountain from crumbling around our ears," Saitō said to the girl.

"I'm-" The girl coughed several times before she wheezed, "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened… I-" The sound of rocks rubbing against each other caused Saitō and Sakura to look up. A large boulder fell from the ceiling coming right towards them. Saitō jumped back into the hallway as the boulder smashed into the floor, completely blocking that exit. Grinding and smashing sounds continued to echo through the doorway for quite some time.

Between pants, Saitō grunted, "Do you know of another way out of here?"

"No, but maybe I can…" Sakura lifted a hand towards the rocks. Saitō's eyes widened as a large decorated card appeared in Sakura's hand from thin air. "Earthy, _onegai_ …" However, the card disappeared. The girl gasped. "No! I don't have enough power to use the Clow Cards?"

 _Clow Cards?_ The sharp crack of another support beam or pillar snapping half spurred Saitō into action. "Screw magic." He hefted Sakura higher on his back and turned around, running towards the room Shishio had occupied. The room was completely consumed in flames and the smoke stung Saitō's eyes so badly he could barely keep them open. Trying to suppress the urge to cough, Saitō placed the girl on the ground and shrugged off his police jacket.

"What are you doing?" The girl asked. "We can't go in there we'll die-!"

Saitō threw his jacket at the girl. "Cover your mouth and be quiet." Though Saitō could tell the girl was frightened, she swallowed her fear, and covered her mouth with the fabric. After picking her up again, Saitō charged headfirst into the burning room. It felt like he stepping into a sauna. Sweat poured down his face and back as he maneuvered among the rocks and fires as fast as he could. He knew every second was precious. Upon reaching the other side of the room, Saitō ripped the false wall aside. Saitō, still carrying Sakura on his back, flew down the stairs.

Thankfully the air became lighter the deeper they headed into the mountain. The curling stairs were made of stone, preventing the fires from reaching them. However rumblings in the distance quickened his steps. After several minutes, the stairs ended in a long straight hallway that stretched deep into the shadows. Only the occasional torch lit the path. Without hesitation, Saitō pressed on further. Eventually a bright light shone up ahead. Renewing his speed, Saitō reached the end of the hallway. A ladder led up into the light, the top partly covered with a boulder. Saitō ordered Sakura to climb first and then he followed her. Reaching over her head, Saitō pushed the boulder aside. Cheering quietly, Sakura crawled out of the hallway.

"Look!" the girl cried. Climbing out of the tunnel, Saitō beheld the sight before him. "It's the bridge!" Sakura exclaimed. "After we cross it we can get out of here."

The large rickety wooden bridge that stretched across the chasm ended at the large doors guarding the entrance. Without waiting for him, Sakura ran ahead and started crossing the bridge. Saitō followed after her, not wanting for the girl to get too far ahead. About a quarter of the across, a rumbling and grinding sound echoed throughout the stone chamber. The bridge shook slightly underneath them. The Cardcaptor froze. She turned her head to look at Saitō. "What are you waiting for?" he asked in an irritated tone. She pressed her lips together in annoyance. She slowly lifted her foot and moved it forward, started to place it down… "This isn't tea time, girl! Move it!" Scowling, the girl glared at him. She muttered something about one day growing up so big that she would crush him under her foot. However, she quickened her pace.

As they continued crossing the bridge, Sakura's foot grazed a rock on the bridge, knocking it into the darkness below. Saitō listened to hear if it hit the bottom, but he heard nothing after waiting several moments. _Certain death if you fall and hit the ground._ Saitō glanced down and saw a stalagmite poking through the darkness. _Or get pierced by a stalagmite._ Saitō looked ahead to see the girl had stopped again. Nudging her forward, Saitō urged, "Don't look down." The girl swallowed, nodded, and then resumed her trek.

Once they reached about halfway, a groaning sound roared in their ears. They turned around to see rocks tumbling down from the ceiling. Saitō pushed the girl forward shouting, "Run. Run!" The girl took off and Saitō chased her. More rocks and dirt from the sky filled the cavern, crashing deep into the darkness below. The entire cavern shook with their force and the bridge ratted and swayed. Regardless, Saitō and Sakura continued running. The doors to the exit of the mountain lay tantalizing out of reach, but every step brought them closer. _About a fourth left._ When the girl stumbled a bit, Saitō encouraged, "We're almost there. Don't stop!"

Sakura ran again but after a few steps her foot broke through a wooden plank. Letting loose a shriek, she fell through the hole in the bridge she made. Saitō's arm flew out, seizing Sakura's upper arm. Lifting her up, Saitō ignored her apologies and thanks and grabbed her by her collar and the clothes of her back. Swinging her back and forth in the air a couple of times, Saitō let her go. Hollering bloody murder, Sakura sailed through the air and roughly hit the ground on the other side of the bridge. Thanks to Saitō's throw, she had safely crossed the bridge and lay on the ground in front of the doors that were the exit of the cave. Coughing, she sat up. She glared at Saitō with all the force she could muster and shouted, "You big meanie jerk!"

A cracking sound snapped above Sakura's head. Massive stalactites rained down from the ceiling towards Sakura. Sakura screamed. Still standing on the bridge, Saitō was too far away from Sakura to save her. _My god, I sent her to her death._ Saitō couldn't look away as he watched the stalactites crashed into the ground around Sakura, abruptly cutting off her screams. Part of the ground by the entrance holding the girl avalanched into the deep chasm below the bridge. The force of the stalactites colliding into the ground transferred into the bridge and the bridge shook wildly. Saitō gripped the rope railing with all of his might to keep from falling to his death. By some miracle, the stalactites had missed the supports to the bridge on the other side.

The shaking bridge calmed down and after several more rumblings and grating sounds, the avalanche stilled. When he was confident there would be no more falling boulders, Saitō slowly picked himself up, fighting the effects of shock. Saitō desperately scanned with his eyes for any sign of Sakura. He saw nothing but rocks and a plume of dust and debris. Unconsciously, Saitō held his breath as he waited. _Could she be…?_ The unanswered question prompted Saitō to run across the tattered remains of the bridge to the massive pile of boulders that had buried Sakura. When he reached the pile, he threw a couple rocks aside, crying out her name. There was no answer. Either she had been crushed to death or the avalanche had caused her to fall into the chasm, never to be seen again. The thought made Saitō pause, the rock he held in his hands hitting the ground. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. _How could I have let this happen?_

Through their own power, a few of small stones rolled off the pile and landed at Saitō's feet. _What?_ He stared in bafflement as a couple of rocks at his waist level shook slightly. A fist shot out of a gap in between the rocks. _S-Sakura?_

With a grunt, a large slab of stone resting on top of the fist was shoved aside revealing a person Saitō least expected: Kenshin. Kenshin crouched over Sakura, who sat on the ground curled up in a ball. _Battōsai?_ Saitō thought incredulously. _You fool! You would have killed yourself to save one little girl?_ For the barest of moments, Saitō saw within Kenshin's eyes a desperate desire to protect the girl, even if it meant that he would have to bear the fires of hell to do so. Saitō grinned. _He's becoming more and more like Battōsai every time I see him._ However, Kenshin's eyes lightened upon Saitō and they widened with surprise.

Saitō ignored Kenshin and examined Sakura instead. She was bruised and had sustained several cuts. Blood seeped through tears in her strange pink clothing. A couple of burns marred her arms. But she seemed all right overall. Saitō smiled slightly. Then he frowned. He wasn't the least bit concerned for her well-being. She was only bait for Shishio. That was all.

Whimpering, Sakura's eyes cracked open. "Nii-chan…?"

"Ssh, _imōto_." Kenshin clucked. "It's okay. This one has found you just like he promised he would, that he did. You're safe. This one is getting out you of here." Sakura smiled up at him.

However, it seemed that to Kenshin, Sakura was much, much more than bait. _Interesting…_ Saitō wondered.

As Kenshin gathered the girl in his arms, a strange yellow thing appeared by Sakura and spoke to her, "It's thanks to that ninja girl's harmony and protection spell that we're okay at all!"

"Himura! Cardcaptor-sama! Sun guardian! Are you all right?" Everyone looked upwards to see a raven haired young woman dressed in shinobi clothing. She stood over a large fissure in the ceiling near the massive gaping hole where the stalactites were previously.

 _So this woman had saved Battōsai and the girl through magic, then?_ Saitō filed away that useful tidbit of information in the back of his mind.

Before anyone could answer the woman, Saitō asked gruffly, "What is that thing?" referring to Kero. His hand twitched by the hilt of his sword.

"Ah… that's a long story, Saitō, that it is. But don't worry. He's friendly. For the most part." The yellow thing annoyingly screeched something at Kenshin but Kenshin ignored him.

The woman above them made a strange shape with her fingers and shouted something. A set of stairs created from the rocks of the mountain appeared before them, leading up to the woman. _She can manipulate the rocks of the mountain into whatever shape she wants?_ Saitō thought. _I really must interrogate Battōsai about the extent of magic's capabilities._

Without any hesitation, Kenshin carried Sakura up the stairs and Saitō followed them. The yellow thing, much to his surprise, had wings and could fly. Once a few minutes passed, Saitō exited from the cavern and emerged into the outside world where the sun and wind greeted him after what felt like hours of darkness. Kenshin, who had reached the hole before Saitō, gently sat Sakura on the ground beside the large hole. The young woman the yellow thing named as Misao knelt by Sakura. She made a weird formation with her fingers and breathed, "Kuji Kiri. Sha. Healing." Magically the burns, cuts, and scraps, disappeared from Sakura's body. Finished healing Sakura, she turned to Kenshin and began to heal him.

Just as Misao was about to start using her magic on Saitō, Saitō grunted heard a clipping sound and raised his head. "Look."

Kenshin and Misao followed his gaze upwards to see Shishio, the older man, and Sōjirō sitting atop of horses on a path above the Saitō's and the others' heads. Shishio and his henchmen stopped their horses when they spied Saitō and Kenshin.

"Battōsai! We meet at last!" Shishio said, raising his hand. Lowering his hand, his smirk vanished. His eyes bored into Kenshin as he said, "I've heard of your pathetic sakabatō and non-killing vow. Unless you become hitokiri Battōsai again, you don't stand a chance in hell against me. Don't show your face to me until you are determined to kill me. Enjoy cleaning up after the Cardcaptor's little scrape. That is, if she lives."

Gripping Sakura's hand, Kenshin bristled with barely constrained fury. "Damn you," he hissed in a whisper.

Seeing Kenshin's expression, Shishio laughed. "That's a nice look in your eyes." Shishio grinned as he said, "I may have underestimated you and the Cardcaptor, but I will pry the hitokiri Battōsai trapped within 'Himura Kenshin' even if I have to do it by force." Kneeing his horse, Shishio gripped the reins as his horse reared back. Turning the horse around, he galloped away, with his two companions following behind him.

Shishio's maniacal laughter rang in their ears long after he had left.

* * *

His stomach growling, Sano continued to trudge through the forest. A couple of hours earlier, his compass had started to work again and Sano no longer walked around in circles. He tried not to frown as he wondered about his friends' safety. In an attempt to drown out his worry, Sano decided to eat. He pulled out his last dumpling. "After this," he muttered to himself, "I guess I'll have to eat frogs or something. Oh well." Tossing the dumpling up in the air, Sano was about to catch the food with his mouth when a small earthquake jarred Sano. His dumpling smacked the ground, splatting everywhere. "No!" Sano cried in dismay. "My precious grub!" Growing, Sano headed deeper in the forest, determined to find the source of the ground rumbling and punish it.

To Sano's surprise, he saw a Buddhist priest sitting on the ground, surrounded by four Buddhist statues. After praying something, the priest struck the ground with his sword. A blast spiraled out from the sword, destroying the statues. Sano examined the statues and the ground surrounding them closer to see curious scorch marks. _How did he do that?_

The priest stood up and slowly turned around to face Sano. His eyes gleamed with something sinister as he demanded, "Who are you? Tell me or die."

* * *

Kenshin gently brushed the hair from Sakura's sleeping face, biting back a sigh. _Please wake up soon, Sakura-chan. It's dangerous to remain in one place for long._

It had been a long journey to get here in Kyoto, but it was far from over. Shortly after Misao and Kenshin fought, Kero realized that Maze was broken. Racing through the woods, the trio had discovered Chō's semiconscious body. With some persuasion, Chō revealed that Shishio's main base of operations was in Mt. Hiei. If Sakura had been kidnapped, she would be taken there to meet Shishio. After knocking Chō unconscious again and tying him up, Misao released a flare into the sky, signaling her friends in Kyoto to come and arrest Chō. Armed with Chō's knowledge, they traveled to Mt. Hiei as fast as possible. After rescuing Sakura from Shishio's hands and meeting Saitō, Kenshin, Sakura, Kero, Misao, and Saitō had arrived in Kyoto. At Misao's insistence, they stayed at the Aoi-Ya inn, an inn run by former Oniwabanshū ninjas. Shortly following their meeting with Shishio on his horse, Sakura had fallen asleep. Now, a nearly day since then, Sakura was still unconscious, much to Kenshin's dismay. _Oh Sakura-chan, what was happened to you?_

Kenshin looked up to see Kero flying in place, watching Sakura intently. They were in a spare room of the Aoi-Ya, gracefully bestowed to Kenshin free of charge by Okina, the owner of the inn. Without warning, Kero flicked his tail angrily and raised a hand crying, "Where's that stupid roach go? If tells the government one word about Sakura, then he'll have to face me!"

Kenshin shook his head. "Don't you remember? After we explained to Saitō about magic when we arrived at the Aoi-Ya, Saitō said he was going to the police. He wanted to know if they had any more information regarding Shishio and his movements."

"More information my foot! If he thinks he can get away with learning everything about Clow Cards and Sakura and then just take off, he's got another thing coming!"

 _You have a foot?_ Kenshin wondered. Judging from Kero's outburst it seemed that Kero had yet to forgive Saitō for stuffing the lit end of a cigarette in Kero's face when he became annoying. Kenshin glanced at Sakura. Unfortunately, Saitō had refused to explain anything about what had occurred in Mt. Hiei, ordering Kenshin to talk to Sakura herself.

After a moment, Kero sighed. Then he asked, "Hey, red head. Want to train your magic some more?"

Kenshin frowned, for once not finding the idea of training to be appealing. Without Sakura to use the Clow Cards, Kenshin and Kero had to resort to other methods of training. After teaching Kenshin how to "spread out" his magic so that Kenshin's head or chest wouldn't hurt in the presence of strong magic, Kero deemed Kenshin ready for the next level. In an exercise of detecting magic in an area, Kero hid himself in the Aoi-Ya, demanding Kenshin use his magic to find Kero. Certain that this was a tough challenge for him meant to test his skill, Kenshin spent hours combing over the entirety of the Aoi-Ya grounds for any sign of Kero. He needn't have bothered. Kenshin found Kero pigging out in the back of the kitchen, stuffing his face. Needless to say, Kenshin was very annoyed. It was not an experience that he was eager to repeat.

Seeing the frown on Kenshin's face, Kero implored, "Aw, don't be that way, red head. In fact, I'm impressed with your progress. You still need a lot of work on your magical and spiritual sensitivity, but your manipulation of the elements is top notch, considering your lack of formal training. I think you're ready to start combining the Clow Cards with Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. Or using them in conjunction."

" _Sō ka_. If you say so…" Kenshin murmured. In truth, Kenshin had absolutely no idea what Kero said, but Kenshin caught the gist of it.

"Of course," Kero continued, "We can't do that without Sakura…" he trailed off, looking at Sakura's prone form resting on the futon. Suddenly Kero gasped.

Kenshin turned to see Sakura stirring. Kenshin was at her side in an instant, helping her when she as she rose into sitting position. "Sakura-chan? How are you feeling?"

Sakura reached out a hand and flexed her fingers, as if testing them. "I feel… great actually! I haven't felt this good in a long time!" She smiled at Kenshin, who melted with relief.

Kero flew by Sakura and explained, "It must be that weasel girl's healing magic."

"Hmm…" Sakura cocked her head to the side, lost in thought. "That's right!" She grabbed Kenshin's gi. "I have something important to tell you guys! It's about Shishio-san!"

 _Shishio…_ san?! Kenshin shook his head. _Only you Sakura-chan… only you._

"And why Kero-chan and I came to the Meiji era!"

Kenshin instantly grew serious. "Tell this one everything."

Sakura obeyed, leaving no detail out. She described how Shishio planned to start another civil war so that he could rule the country. _That is… nothing sort of insanity. I will never let that happen. I have no intention of taking part in another war._ Kenshin's heart twisted when he heard Sakura relate that Syaoran might be targeted. _I guess the only way to protect Li-kun is to defeat Shishio as soon as possible._ But worst of all was Sakura's admission that Shishio wanted to kill her so he can become the next Cardcaptor. Hearing that made Kenshin's blood boil. _Kill Sakura-chan? He can try. Oh, he can try._ Setting his anger aside, he gently touched Sakura's shoulder. "There is no way this one will let Shishio touch one hair on your head."

Sakura smiled up at him. "I know. It's just like you said, you'll protect me. After all, you saved me from an entire mountain coming down!"

 _Such faith… can I really live up to it? No. There is no question. I must._

Kenshin pondered this in his head before Kero shouted, "You mean Shishio the reason why we're here in Meiji!" Crossing his arms, Kero muttered, "Well that would explain things…" Lifting his head, Kero stared directly at Sakura. "Sakura, this is beginning to sound like the disaster that would occur when you broke the seal on the Clow Book."

Sakura nodded, determined, and clenched her fists. "But we have Ken-nii and everyone else helping us! We won't lose!"

"Wait, what?" Kenshin asked, concerned. "What disaster?"

Kero cryptically answered, "That is only for the Cardcaptor to know… for now. Continue, Sakura." After that Sakura's explanation was riddled with holes.

"What do you mean you don't know what happened next?" Kenshin asked, a little exasperated from his worry for her. "All of a sudden the room erupted into flames and the mountain started coming down? Sakura-chan, something must have happened…"

Sakura squirmed, a clear sign that she was withholding information from Kenshin. "I don't know what happened… I kind of just… it just happened."

"Sakura," Kero said quietly. "You need to control your emotions."

"Mmph," Sakura huffed, a little miffed. Then she yawned loudly.

Kenshin sighed and smiled slightly. While he wanted to leave soon, Sakura was in no condition to travel. "This one thinks someone needs to be getting to bed, that they do."

Sakura smiled wearily at him. Kenshin helped her lie down. As she closed her eyes, Kenshin tucked the blankets under her chin.

Withdrawing his hands from the covers, Kenshin briefly touched his forehead with his hand. _There's too much to digest…_

"Well!" Kero interjected with false cheer. "I have seven wins and you're at zero." Flying out of the room through the shoji doors, Kero cried out to Kenshin, "Remember you win if you find me in fifteen minutes!"

Kenshin sighed. It seemed that yet again Kenshin would be playing hide and seek with Kero. While the game was beginning to wear him down, Kenshin realized it was vital that he could wield his magic at command when the time came to face Shishio personally, especially if Shishio possessed more Clow Cards. Kenshin paused and whispered a goodbye to Sakura.

Just as Kenshin was about to rise to leave, a thought struck him. _Kaoru-dono would be furious with me for letting Sakura-chan get hurt._ The thought of Kaoru sent a wave of pain through Kenshin. Biting the inside of his lower lip, Kenshin closed his eyes. _No. I can't afford to think of Kaoru-dono. She's happy. She's safe. She… doesn't need me._ Like that eased his pain. Regardless, Kenshin's belief that Kaoru didn't need him fueled Kenshin to search for Kero. _Yes, that's it… it's best for both of us to just forget each other and move on with our lives. I am a rurouni and she is a dojo master. We come from completely different worlds and that's that._

Determined to find Kero to bury the memory of Kaoru, Kenshin checked all of the other places that Kero had hid previously. Kero wasn't there. Frowning, Kenshin padded down the hallway on the first floor of the Aoi-Ya, empty bedrooms on either side. _I'm running out of places where Kero could be… If I were him, where would I go?_ Kenshin paused, remembering Kero's advice. _Kero told me to stop trying to find him with my head and to search with my heart. My soul._ Kenshin shook his head. _What does that mean?! Ugh, I'll never get this magic stuff…_

Hearing something behind him, Kenshin turned to see Misao. She smiled warmly and waved a hand. "Hiya, Himura. What cha up to?"

"Searching for Kero," Kenshin mumbled. The memories of the other onmitsu of the Aoi-Ya snickering behind his back as Kenshin tried in vain to locate Kero were fresh in his mind.

At Kenshin's words, Misao attempted to conceal a grin, but failed. She clapped her hands together. "Well, you're just the person I wanted to see! Since you're not doing anything important, how about I show you the sights of Kyoto?"

Raising a hand, Kenshin answered, " _Gomenasai_ , Misao-dono. But this one can't. It isn't safe to stroll through the streets of Kyoto in daylight. Shishio's spies are everywhere. Plus, at any time the government may learn that Sakura-chan is the Cardcaptor and come after her-"

Misao shook her hand and waved her hand in dismissal. "Don't worry about that. Cardcaptor-sama just blew up his base, yeah? Then it's going to be a bit before he can recover enough to mount an attack. And besides, I got our whole day planned." She clasped her hands together in excitement as she all but squealed, "We're going to have so much fun! You see, for lunch we'll go to the Shirobeko restaurant. I've never been there, but I hear it's got really good food! And then we should visit Kinkaku temple. Or do you think the Ginkaku temple is better? I think the Kinkaku temple is better, so let's go there. And then after that we should try…"

Kenshin gently smiled, touched by such a friendly and thoughtful offer. After all, it was very rare for Kenshin meet someone who accepted him for who he was, or have an opportunity to just enjoy himself. And yet… "Misao-dono," Kenshin whispered, "do you really want to spend time with this one?"

Misao's paused her ramblings to stare at Kenshin in surprise. She titled her head to the side and put her finger on her chin, pondering at the underlying tone in Kenshin's question. "You mean you're still upset about our fight?"

"Oro?" _You mean you aren't?!_

Misao chuckled at Kenshin's shock. However, she grew serious as she explained, "Listen, Himura. I'm not angry with you. If I thought someone was keeping information about Aoshi-sama from me, I would chase them to the ends of the earth. And if I believed that someone had kidnapped or hurt him, I would make them pay. The same goes for Cardcaptor-sama and Sun Guardian-sama. I would have done the same in your position. If we're being honest, I admire your fighting skill and how you were able to use it to defeat me despite my magic." Smiling confidently, Misao cocked a hip and crossed her arms. "You're almost as good as Aoshi-sama. After all, he became the Okashira, the leader of all the Oniwabanshū when he was just 15!"

Kenshin was happy to hear Misao didn't hold a grudge against him and that her unwavering faith in Aoshi led her to believe Aoshi was stronger than Kenshin. _I would like to meet this Aoshi-sama that Misao so obviously pines for to see if he really is stronger than me._ On the way over to Mt. Hiei, Misao had explained a little bit about Aoshi, but surprisingly she didn't say much. "And where is Aoshi-dono now, if this one may ask?"

Misao frowned, as though all of her energy had left her in a moment. "I don't know… He left me with Okina and everyone else here when I was younger and left. He reappeared about eight months ago, only to disappear again. I've been searching for him ever since he left, but with trying to stop Shishio and all… Well, we've all been busy."

Kenshin nodded his understanding. "Thank you, Misao-dono, for your offer and for being willing to tell this one something so painful. Truly," Kenshin said. "Now this one needs to find Kero and develop his magic abilities."

Misao huffed, "Fine. When this is all over though, I'm taking you on a tour, you hear?"

Kenshin nodded. _She really is a kind girl. Excitable, maybe, and a bit of a short temper, but I can tell she's very loyal to those she cares about._ Kenshin turned around and began to head down the hallway. _Now it's time to find Kero…_ Sensing something sinister, Kenshin's head snapped up. He pivoted on his heel and snatched something out of the air that was flying towards his head. Kenshin's eyes bore into Misao, who only grinned mischievously at him. She gestured to what Kenshin caught in his hand. He glanced at it, surprised to find one of Misao's kunai.

Seeing Kenshin's baffled expression, Misao asked, "How did you know that I threw a kunai at you?"

Kenshin blinked. "This one… heard the whistle of air, as though something was heading towards him."

"Reeeally?" Misao crossed her arms and tapped her index finger against her chin. "Is that so? Or did you… sense you were in danger?" Kenshin stared at Misao, utterly confused. After releasing a small sigh, Misao put her hands on her hips. "Using magic to sense things in the environment or other magicians is like listening to your gut or following your instinct. It's like…" Misao eyes' grew distant as she tried to find the right words. "Ah yes! It's like the ebb and flow of the fight on a battlefield. No one tell you what to do next, you just use the clues from the environment and your instinct. Using magic is similar to that."

Kenshin examined the kunai in his hand, his mind working to digest the information. _So I… used my magic to sense that Misao-dono threw this at me? It's like the instinct of a soldier on a battlefield…_ Kenshin tossed the kunai in the air and caught it again, a smirk on his face. _Now_ that _I can do._ Kenshin chucked the kunai back at Misao and she palmed it out of the air.

Misao returned Kenshin's smirk. "Now go find Sun Guardian-sama."

His mind trying to solve the puzzle of Kero's location, Kenshin began to step down the hallway when he stopped. Kenshin had already searched the likely places Kero would hide. So where would Kero be? Behind Kenshin, Misao laughed quietly. What was Kenshin missing? Kenshin took a few steps forward like he was walking on a thin tightrope. _Instinct…_ Closing his eyes, Kenshin calmed himself and threw out all of his senses. He heard-no sensed-something underneath the floor boards. Holding his breath, Kenshin reached out with his one leg, stomping on the ground a couple of times, as though testing it, before he grinned. He tapped the ground with his foot one last time. "This one wins, Kero."

"…Eleven minutes and thirty eight seconds," the floor answered, grudgingly.

Kenshin had to fight the smile on his face. "Just how did you get there?" The floor laughed at him.

"What in the world are you doing, Himura-dono?"

Kenshin looked up to see Okina gazing down at him. To Okina it must have looked like Kenshin was talking to the floor. "U-Uh…" Kenshin hastened to explain, "This one was searching for Kero again and he's, er, underneath my foot…" Okina stroked his beard, as though he was contemplating whether Kenshin was telling the truth or he had went out of his mind.

"Himura-dono, I need to speak with you on a pressing matter," Okina said, choosing not to voice his thoughts on Kenshin's behavior. (Or was he?)

Knowing the time for games was over, Kenshin straightened and followed Okina's lead into a room with a small table. As Kenshin and Okina sat down at the table across from each other, Shiro, one of the other former onmitsu of the Aoi-Ya, served them both tea before exiting. Okina began, "There is much to explain and little time. With the coming of Meiji, everyone at the Aoi-Ya have abandoned working as Oniwabanshū onmitsu for the Shogun, the Meiji government, or anyone else. Nevertheless, all of the former omnitsu still practice ninjutsu magic. And we gather information regarding Kyoto. This is how we learned of Shishio and his plans.

"As former omnitsu, I, as well as everyone who resides at this inn, vow to protect Kyoto and all of Japan from Shishio's conquest. Shishio is abusing the Clow Cards and disrupting the magical balance in Kyoto. If he were to obtain all of the Clow Cards, the entire world may not be able to face him. As descendants of Clow Reed's companion, it is our duty to strike Shishio down. We shall help you, Cardcaptor-sama, and Sun Guardian-sama, in any way possible."

Kenshin bowed slightly at Okina. " _Arigatō gozaimasu_ , Okina-dono."

Okina narrowed his eyes at Kenshin. "There is, however, one exception of those of us who will help you."

"Aoshi…" Kenshin whispered.

"That is correct. I suppose you learned of him from Misao? Ho, ho, ho," Okina laughed heartily. "Who am I kidding? Of course you did. Even if the world ended right before her eyes that girl will still be gushing about how amazing her 'Aoshi-sama' is."

Kenshin chuckled. That was certainly true.

His smile disappearing, Okina sighed deeply. "I am afraid that she only knows part of the story." Okina's stare bore into Kenshin. "Aoshi is after your life."

Kenshin froze. _What? Have I wronged him? But I never even fought any ninjas before…_

"The Oniwabanshū were stationed outside Edo Castle during the Bakumatsu. They were led by Shinomori Aoshi," Okina explained. "As you know both sides agreed that Edo Castle would be surrendered peacefully and no blood would be shed in Tokyo. Had that not occurred, you probably would have fought Aoshi, as you were both champions of your respective sides." Okina's voice became grave as he continued, "The Oniwabanshū were given no opportunity to fight in the Bakumatsu. To ensure that we wouldn't, the Shogun's men…" Okina closed his eyes briefly before continuing, "The Shogun slaughtered the Oniwabanshū omnitsu based in Edo. Ever loyal to his men, Aoshi tried to save their lives, but he was too late. Despite the passing into a new era, the memory of Aoshi's fallen comrades persisted in his mind. Especially the four directly under him: Han'nya, Shikijō, Beshimi, and Hyottoko. The four men he trusted the most were dead. With no companions to save or Shogunate to hate, all of his anger and despair rested on Himura Battōsai, the strongest of the Ishin Shishi. For the past ten years he has trained himself, all so that can kill you and declare the Oniwabanshū the mightiest of all."

Kenshin lowered his head. _So much death… so much hate…_ "…What of Misao-dono?"

Okina sighed once again. "Misao doesn't know the demon that Aoshi has become. She loves him for who he once was. The only thing she knows is Aoshi is searching for Battōsai."

Finding the tea left a bad taste in his mouth, Kenshin lowered his lips. "This one sees."

Okina gripped the cup of tea in his hand as he continued, "Aoshi is no ordinary evil man. He has thrown away all sense of good and evil. He is possessed by 'Ultimate Power'. Left alone the number of his victims will mount endlessly beneath his blades. Aoshi is too much for me to stop, therefore…" When Okina stopped speaking, Kenshin glanced up at him. His eyes… they were as dark as blackest night. "Himura-dono, I ask you to kill Shinomori Aoshi."

Kenshin closed his eyes. When Kenshin didn't answer, Okina continued, "I know this would break your vow to take no more lives. But you are the only one who can defeat this demon. There is no resting place for a demon but death. The only way to save him is to kill him."

You should be warned, however, Himura-dono. Our intelligence network has discovered that Aoshi is in Kyoto. In your search for Shishio you will cross paths with him. It is only a matter of time. In addition to his excellent swordplay, Aoshi has the strongest magic of all of us. He will be a fearsome foe. While you have been training with Sun Guardian-sama and Cardcaptor-sama, for a couple of months, Aoshi has used magic since he was a child. Not to mention, when he left the Aoi-Ya, he stole from us and armed himself with an important magical artifact, the Clow-"

"Aoshi wants to kill Himura? Himura killing Aoshi?!"

Kenshin and Okina's whipped their heads upwards to see Misao standing in the open shoji doorway. Judging by the shock and horror on her face, she must have overheard everything. She whispered, "You mean… Aoshi is the one who stole… That can't be…"

"Misao…" Okina started. Kenshin stood up and turned to Misao, studying her.

Misao hugged herself, her voice barely audible. "Aoshi… a murderer?" She gripped her arms tightly before she clenched them into fists. "That's not true!" She seized Kenshin's upper arms and begged, "Himura, even if Aoshi wants revenge for everyone, deep down I know he must still be the person I knew! You…! You…"

Kenshin looked deep into Misao's eyes. _Such pain, such heartbreak… yet she truly believes in Aoshi's goodness._

"Will you…" breathed Misao as she eased her hold of Kenshin, "…kill Aoshi-sama?"

 _Will I kill Shishio Makoto?_ The back of Kenshin's mind asked. _Not helpful. Be quiet and focus._ Kenshin placed his hand on one of Misao's hand. "This one has not met Shinomori Aoshi yet so he cannot determine whether he can be redeemed or not. However, if this unworthy one believes he can one day repent for his sins, then this one sees no reason why Aoshi cannot be saved." Misao looked at Kenshin in confusion, her brows furrowing.

Kenshin gently removed Misao's hands from his arms. Looking Misao straight in the face, he said, "Demon or no, Aoshi's resting place is not death. It is here, by your side. And this one promises you that he will be brought back."

Misao stared at Kenshin in utter shock. However it was Kenshin who was surprised when he saw tears on her face. "You'll… bring him back? You'll bring him back to me?

Kenshin could hear the smile in Okina's voice coming from behind him as he murmured, " _Yokatta ne_ , Misao."

Misao smiled and nodded, hiccupping slightly as she wiped away her tears.

 _But can I really save him?_ Kenshin thought worriedly as he gazed at Misao. _With Shishio wanting to kill Sakura and become the Cardcaptor, Shishio's spies that are everywhere watching us, the countdown until the government discovers who the Cardcaptor is, the omnipresence threat of the remaining Clow Cards rampaging, and no support from those in Tokyo… can I keep my promise to Misao-dono? How can I survive a fight against a swordsman and magician master?_

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Arigatō gozaimasu-A more polite and formal way of saying thank you

Gatotsu-Saitō's trademark sword technique. Saitō has various forms of the Gatotsu that he uses in different situations. The manga says, "in battles of life and death, it is rare to meet the same enemy twice. Therefore, if one has a single attack certain to finish one's foe, there is no need for lesser techniques. The Shinsengumi's strength lies not in their group tactics but in each member's mastery of his own deadliest blow."

Gomenasai-Sorry, I'm sorry; a slightly formal apology used only with friends and family

Imōto-Younger sister. Imōto is never used with the honorific chan unless it is meant sarcastically. Using chan with imōto is the equivalent of belittling one's younger sister by calling them little.

Kuji Kiri-Nine hand signals or seals that are made when a person in meditating and praying a sutra, reputedly believed to unlock spiritual powers.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Onegai-Please

Onmitsu-Ninja; see Shinobi

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Shinobi-Ninja; see onmitsu

Shogunate/Bakufu-the fuedal military dictatorship of Japan. During the Bakumatsu, the Japanese government, the shogunate, was corrupt. They employed the military police, the Shinsengumi, to keep order and fight the Ishin Shishi. As part of the Ishin Shishi, Kenshin fought against supporters of the shogun.

Shoji-the name of the sliding doors in Japan (as opposed to a Western door that opens and closes on a hinge)

Sō ka-I see, is that so, etc. Has other meanings of which I do not know.

Yokatta ne-I'm happy for you

* * *

And with this chapter, the action begins to slow down. However, the next chapter I hope you find quite amusing. :) I never expected that the "trip to Kyoto" would take this long. Originally I planned that Kenshin and Sakura would go to Kyoto right after Chō, but then that meant Kenshin, Sakura, and Saitō would never met Shishio until the last fight. So I added the above scenes (and the scenes of last chapter). I hope the action with the bridge wasn't too confusing.

Hello, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and that you read and appreciate the next chapter previews. Not a lot of writers do that with their stories, but I felt that I should, given that many of my chapters end without any hint of what next chapter will be. Thanks for the review!

Next Chapter: Speaking of swordsman masters, a certain someone's master will make their first appearance! Just what will he make of his errant pupil and the strange girl that is his shadow?

Thanks for the support, guys! It means a lot to me!


	18. Old Man on the Mountain!

Undoubtedly, you have realized that this chapter will be featuring everyone's favorite Hiko Seijūrō. I hope you enjoy his appearance in these next few chapters because I don't think he'll be returning until maybe the very end!

Next week I have a paper and two tests (as well as my mother's and mine own birthdays) so **it is possible that next chapter will be posted two weeks from now**. I'm really sorry. I'll type as much as I can to see if I can post it on time but I can't promise I'll make it.

 **Update** : Next chapter will be posted next Wednesday, not today (9/23). I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: Though I write the stories, I don't own the characters. So please don't sue.

* * *

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Old Man on the Mountain!

Staring deep into the fire before him, the man saw visions of his bloody past replay in his mind. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he had cut down a gang of bandits murdering a pack of slave drivers and their slaves. To this day he honestly had no idea which was the morally worse group, the bandits or the slave drivers. When he had finished killing the thieves, only one small young slave boy survived the attack. A young boy who had dug the graves of his slaver masters and the robbers alike. A boy named Shinta whose name forever changed to Kenshin when the man decided to take him under his wing and teach him his secret sword arts.

Exhaling, he lifted his head from the fire in the outside furnace to look at the stars. He was getting too sentimental. After all it was Kenshin was the one who chose to run away…

From behind him, the sound of footsteps crept closer. Two sets of them. _Best to pretend that I don't hear them. But how did they find me on this mountain? Better not be that annoying pack of tittering ladies supposedly looking for their missing husbands who went camping or else there is going to be hell to pay._ He heard a click of a thumb starting to draw a sword from their sheath. _Ah, so it's not them. Their husbands trying to kill me for revenge because I flirted with them, perhaps?_ He chuckled. _The fools. No mere mortal can kill the great and fabulous Hiko Seijūrō-sama._

When the person came in range, they swung their sword at Hiko. His leg muscles cording, Hiko leapt up elegantly into the air and twisted midair, landing so that his back was to his attacker.

"You're quite rude to swing at a potter," he chastised, amusement underlying his words.

The sword slid back into its sheath. "You are no mere potter, _Shishō_."

Shishō _?_ He thought. _It couldn't be…_

"Cooool! What a pretty cape!"

 _What the hell? No one insults my manliness and… lives…_ Hiko turned around to see a young girl with her hands out to touch his cape staring up at him in surprise. She wore a pink kimono and the strangest big white hat on her head that didn't match her clothes in the slightest. _Where in the world did this child come from?_

"S-Sakura-chan…"

Hiko looked up from the girl to see something that equally shocked him as the girl's presence. Kenshin. Older, more haggard. A hardened look in his eyes that replaced the innocence that once resided there. A sword at his waist. His _baka deshi_ back and alive from fighting in that stupid war. But just who on earth was the little runt? Hiko glared at Kenshin, demanding answers from him without saying a word.

Kenshin introduced, "Sakura-chan, this is this one's _Shishō_ , Hiko Seijūrō. The man who taught him Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, that he did. You remember this one telling you about him, yes?"

The girl Kenshin called Sakura gasped. Her eyes lit up as she smiled at Hiko. Hiko scrutinized the child. She was a little… unsettling. Something was obviously off with her.

" _Shishō,_ this is this one's adoptive sis-"

"Grampa!" The girl blurted, pointing at Hiko.

Hiko was floored. Who the hell was this girl to be calling him such things?

"O-Oro!" Kenshin looked like he swallowed a toad. His face turning red, he gagged, "S-Sakura-chan, no he is not… Don't call him that."

"Why?" The girl asked as though nothing was wrong. "After your parents died, he took you in when you were even younger than me, right? Then he's like your daddy!"

"Er, well maybe," Kenshin stammered. "But that doesn't make him your-"

Hiko must be dreaming. This wasn't happening. He was no one's father. Especially not that idiotic apprentice of his. Rage began to swell within him. _Wait a moment-grandpa?_ _You don't mean…_ "Who is this?!" Hiko all but growled, gesturing at the girl. "What relation does she have with you?"

The girl cocked her head to the side like she was listening to the voices in her head or something. In fact she was thinking so hard, her hat moved. Then a wicked grin appeared on her face. Kenshin must have guessed what she was about to do because he hissed, "Don't you _dare_."

"But he says it'll make you happy. And I agree with him."

Kenshin's blanched like he had just seen a ghost. "Sakura-chan! If you say it so help this one you will never-"

The girl smiled at Hiko before bowing politely. "I'm Himura Sakura." She raised up from her bow. Pointing at Kenshin, she said, "He's my daddy."

"NOOOOOOO!" Kenshin screamed, his hands in his hair and his entire face going red to his roots.

Hiko watched Kenshin's reaction. He smirked. "Looks like my _baka deshi_ has gotten busy since he left."

After Sakura's declaration and Hiko's statement, Kenshin was reduced to a raving person, denying what Sakura had said while attempting to reprimand Sakura at the same time. Ignoring him, Hiko walked passed the duo, heading into his large log cabin and throwing aside the cloth that covered the open doorway. Sakura followed him as well as Kenshin, albeit far more hesitantly. Hiko strode over to the small table on the other side of the one room cabin and sat down. Sakura looked around in awe while Kenshin took the sight in without a word. Although he didn't ask, Hiko knew that Kenshin was wondering why there was pottery lining the shelves, the result of a way to make money after Kenshin left.

"So… Sakura, right?" Hiko asked, watching the girl. She nodded at him and smiled. _Figures that my_ baka deshi _would be so unoriginal. When she was born he probably thought the flower name was as cute as her or some such crap._ Yare _,_ yare _…_

Sakura was about to ask a question when her stomach grumbled loudly. She blushed and lowered her head as she murmured, "Hoe…"

Kenshin smiled apologetically, "Guess we didn't eat a lot before leaving the Aoi-Ya, did we? _Shishō_ , would you please-"

"Great." Hiko declared, reaching behind him to grab a sake jar. "Kenshin, make dinner for your daughter. And while you're at, make some for me as well." In truth, Hiko had already eaten dinner, but there was no way he was going to miss an opportunity to annoy his idiotic pupil.

"Is this one included in that number?" Kenshin muttered. With a huff, Kenshin said, " _Shishō_ , we're your guests-"

"I consider the two of you nothing more than vagrants who have trespassed on my property. Not throwing you off my mountain is extremely magnanimous of me. Now quit whining and do it! Now!"

Kenshin glowered at Hiko. "Tyrant."

Witnessing Kenshin's reaction, Hiko had to suppress another smirk. In the past fifteen years Kenshin hadn't changed at all. Despite whatever mask Kenshin presented to the world, deep down he was still a little boy who loathed being belittled. Good thing Hiko knew all of right buttons to press…

To everyone's surprise, Sakura gasped. She ran out the door. _What?_ Hiko thought, puzzled. _Did I scare her off? Man, kids are difficult._

To everyone's further amazement, Sakura stopped right outside the door. She turned around to face Hiko and Kenshin and bowed deeply at the waist. "I'm very sorry for being so rude! Please may I come in?" The long cloth covering the doorway smacked her face. Chuckling, Kenshin lifted it up for her. "Hoe…" She murmured a thanks as she remained bowled over.

Hiko blinked. _She's a little dense like her dumb father, but I gotta admit she has manners._ Grinning himself a bit, Hiko raised an eyebrow at Kenshin.

Confused, Kenshin asked, "What?"

"I don't hear you saying anything." When Kenshin began to protest, Hiko added, "I won't let her in until you ask for my permission. Nicely."

Kenshin took a moment to swallow his pride. He bowed slightly and asked, "May we come in, _Shishō_?"

Hiko rubbed his chin, pretending to think. When the girl stumbled a bit, Hiko waved them in, feeling a bit guilty. Kenshin said something directed at Hiko under his breath, but Hiko missed it. Inwardly, Hiko beamed. _Ah… it's good to know that after all these years I still can get Kenshin's underwear so tied up in a knot that he looks like the biggest fool in a world._

While Sakura sat in front of Hiko, Kenshin moved to the kitchen about to prepare a meal. "Ah, ah, ah!" Hiko said, waving his finger. "You didn't ask if you can touch my things."

"But you told this one to-" Kenshin broke himself off with a noise of frustration. Grabbing two buckets, Kenshin left the cabin saying, "This one is getting water from the stream. This one will be back Sakura-chan, that he will. Don't cause any trouble."

" _Bye_ , _bye_ , Daddy," Sakura said in English. Kenshin cringed, but continued without saying anything more.

After watching Kenshin leave, Sakura turned back to Hiko. Hiko watched Sakura. They grinned at the same time. Hiko thought, _Now it's time to squeeze this "Himura Sakura-chan" for all the answers I want._ "Are you really Kenshin's daughter?" Sakura giggled and nodded.

 _First things first._ "How old are you?"

"Eleven. Oh no wait. My birthday passed in the Meiji back in April. I'm twelve."

Hiko did the math in his head. _That would make Kenshin sixteen years old when she was born. Fifteen or so when he got it on and she was conceived. That's… quite young. That's only a year after he left me and I know for a fact the Kenshin who left was a still naïve kid. One year is too little of time to become a man. Plus, Kenshin would still have been fighting in the Bakumatsu. He wouldn't have gotten married and had a kid while the war was going on… would he?_ Hiko reexamined the girl. Brown hair. Green eyes. While she had Kenshin's face shape and was short (though she was a child), she looked nothing like Kenshin. _Hmm. Curiouser and curiouser…_

 _Let's try this angle._ Hiko asked, "What's your mother like?"

Sakura froze, looking like a child who snuck into the kitchen at midnight. "U-Uh…" Just as before, she tilted her head to the side and her hat moved a bit. Then she grinned wickedly again. Like that wasn't strange.

 _What is wrong with this girl?!_

Straightening her head, Sakura cooed, "Weeeellll… she's got black hair and blue eyes and she's only a couple of centimeters shorten than nii-I mean, than my to-chan and she's very pretty and Daddy loves her."

Hiko's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Then where did you get your hair and eyes?"

Again for whatever reason it looked like Sakura was moments away from panicking. After a moment, she stammered, "M-My grandparents. Yes, that's it. My grandma and grandpa have brown hair and green eyes." She nodded as though she was proud of herself.

Deciding to not to question that dubious answer, Hiko poured some sake into a cup as he inquired, "What kind of person is your mother like?"

"She teaches at a dojo."

Hiko rose an eyebrow at that answer. However after thinking it over for a moment, Hiko realized it made some measure of sense. _It's just like Kenshin to want a woman who can hold her own. The aggression and self-confidence she needs to make in it a man's world at a dojo would be a good match to Kenshin's polite mannerisms and reserved nature._

However, it seemed that Sakura wasn't finished. "She can't cook or do the laundry and she gets mad easily and calls him 'Kenshin _no baka_ '!"

Hiko snorted. _Must be a good woman._ Thinking about Sakura's mother caused a bit of pride to stir within him. Despite his royal screw up in joining the Bakumatsu, Kenshin found a woman and had a little girl. _That_ baka deshi _of mine…_ Hiko thought almost affectionately. _…He's grown up into a man._ Hiko took a big swig of his sake, a part of him thinking he needed it to believe the situation at hand.

As Hiko drank the sake, an evil idea came to mind. In fact, Hiko was surprised he didn't think of it earlier. Wiping his mouth, Hiko placed the cup of sake and the jar down on the ground. He leaned in towards Sakura, motioning with his hand that Sakura do the same. He whispered conspiratorially, "Do they do anything when they're alone?"

Sakura paused for a moment, thinking. Her hat jiggled again. "Oh! Syaoran-kun says they flirt!"

And who was Syaoran-kun? Leaving that behind, Hiko had to hold back his excitement as he asked, "What do they say?"

"Huh?"

 _Damn it_ , Hiko cursed. _I guess I'll have to ask Kenshin later…_ "Well, what's her name?"

"Kamiya Kaoru," Sakura answered. At that moment, Kenshin entered the cabin, carrying two buckets full of water. Hearing the last words Sakura said, Kenshin stared at Sakura, his eyes boring into her. Sakura smiled and waved at him in greeting. Still suspiciously watching Sakura from the corner of his eye, Kenshin placed the buckets full of water on the floor and began making dinner.

Hiko, meanwhile, had completely frozen in place. _Different. Surname._ Hiko's eyes slowly drifted to Kenshin. _You sly dog._

" _Shishō_ , would miso soup be okay? This one sees there aren't a lot of options here…" Kenshin asked, not looking up from his work in the kitchen.

With a big inhale, Hiko slowly sat back, trying to figure out if this new tidbit of information was good or bad news. On the one hand, it was extremely dishonorable to have a child outside of marriage, but on the other… what gumption. Hiko certainly didn't think Kenshin had it in him to do such a thing, especially at fifteen. Hiko shook his head. _That_ BAKA deshi _._

" _Shishō_?" Kenshin looked up at Hiko, his face innocent.

Hiko waved his hand and Kenshin returned to work. _There was no way that he would do that. I raised him better, and yet this girl says, and the woman works at a dojo and…_ Kami-sama _…_ Whatever the truth was, it was clear that there was quite a story here. And Hiko was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Unfortunately, the conversation over dinner revealed no more answers. When Hiko asked Sakura questions about how life was as she grew up, she only gave vague answers or dodged the question entirely. Strangely, Kenshin was silent for most of the evening. When Hiko inquired about a subject Sakura didn't want to answer, she would turn it around and ask Hiko a question about himself and training Kenshin. Her questions included, but weren't limited to, "You're stronger than Daddy, right?", "Who did you learn Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū from?", "Don't you get lonely being here by yourself?", "Do you love a girl?", "Why do you have long hair? You look like a girl." Kenshin scolded Sakura for that one and rightly so.

 _Says the girl who has her hair so short she could be mistaken for a boy in a kimono._ Hiko glanced at Kenshin. _…whose father is so small and feminine that he could be mistaken for a girl. Quite a pair, these two._

By the time they finished the affair named dinner, which had stretched out considerably longer than normal because of Sakura, it was too late to listen to long stories of why Kenshin had arrived after being absent for fifteen years. Hiko decided to call it a night. Rummaging through an old chest, Hiko located an old yukata that used to be Kenshin's for Sakura to wear for bed. He also discovered Kenshin's musty futon and extra blankets and handed it off to Kenshin. Kenshin placed it on the ground for him and Sakura. Hiko moved over to the opposite side of the room and laid down to sleep. Fifteen minutes after Hiko blew out the andon, Sakura got up.

"What are you doing?" Kenshin asked quietly.

"Um… going to the bathroom," Sakura whispered loudly in the way only child could.

Hiko sighed. _Children… so annoying._ Sakura stumbled around in the dark, hitting everything in the cabin. She stopped when she stood next to Hiko's futon. Hiko lay on his side, with his back to Sakura. From the sound of shuffling clothes, it seemed that Sakura had bunkered down on the floor, silently staring at Hiko as though she wanted something.

After a moment, Kenshin's said sarcastically, "Sakura-chan, don't pee on _Shishō_."

Sakura giggled. Hiko grumbled angrily to himself. He grounded out to Sakura, "I don't care what you want; it can wait until morning. Go back to your bum of a father." All of a sudden Sakura burst out laughing. She laughed so hard, she couldn't breathe. Turning around in his futon to face Sakura, he asked, "Just what in the world are you carrying on about?"

Sakura gasped in between laughs, "Hobo! Daddy's a hobo!" Sakura laughed harder, tears slipping out of her eyes. "Hobos sleep on benches in parks with newspapers on them and look funny. And with him traveling as a rurouni for ten years that makes him a pro hobo. But how do you be a pro of something when you don't have a job-"

"All right, that's enough out of you." Kenshin appeared behind Sakura, picked her up, and placed her over his shoulder. "Get to bed."

"Hey!" Sakura cried, indignantly. "Put me down! Put me down! Put. Me. Down!" Ignoring her, Kenshin mouthed an apology to Hiko.

Hiko merely shook his head and rolled over. _Children… can be such a pain in the rear end._ Even so, Hiko could help but smirk at the way Sakura had laughed at her father. _Maybe she has more brains than I gave her credit for._

Kenshin carried Sakura over to their futon and put her down. Their voices floated over to Hiko as they whispered to each other. "So this one is your father and a hobo now?" Sakura began laughing again. Hiko could hear the smile in Kenshin's voice as he said, "This one doesn't see what's so funny." Sakura's laughs turned into muffled shrieks and cries for Kenshin to stop. It took Hiko a moment to realize that Kenshin must be tickling Sakura.

After a few moments, Sakura's cries down died. Kenshin asked in a quiet, soothing tone, "So you like _Shishō_?"

"I didn't have a grandfather until now. And I think he's very funny."

Kenshin chuckled at that. "I think you're the first to think such a thing, that you are."

"Well it's the truth," Sakura said with conviction. "Hey, what are we doing here? What about Shishio?"

Again in a calming tone, Kenshin interrupted, "Don't worry about that. Just… have fun getting to know 'Gramps' better, _ne_?" chuckled Kenshin. "And for that you need to go to sleep."

"I want to stay up and talk to Grampa more. I'm not…" Sakura yawned, "…tired."

"Tomorrow," Kenshin said gently, but firmly.

"But I slept for an entire day. I'm not tired." Despite her words, however, Sakura yawned again.

 _An entire day? What in the world happened?_ Hiko wondered.

"Hiking up a mountain is very tiring, especially for someone your age, that it can. Humor this one and try, okay? For this one?" Sakura muttered something that Hiko couldn't quite catch.

Afterwards the two of them were silent for the next few minutes. Hiko could hear the rhythmic breathing of someone asleep, followed by the sound of a kiss.

In a voice that was barely audible, Kenshin whispered, " _Oyasumi_ , Sakura-chan. Sweet dreams." Kenshin must have kissed Sakura's forehead.

Hiko smiled to himself, replaying their conversation in his mind. _After teasing her a bit, he calmed down her hyperactivity with questions until she was able to fall asleep._ … _Kenshin is a good father._ But still their conversation raised more questions than solved them. Undoubtedly, Kenshin would risk his life to protect Sakura so what could have happened to her that she needed an entire day to sleep? Why did Kenshin return after fifteen years? Who was the Shishio Sakura mentioned? And did Kenshin really wander for ten years as a rurouni? _Kenshin, you idiot… what happened to you?_

* * *

Syaoran frowned at the card in his hand. It was supposed to be his ticket to finding Sakura, but so far it only seemed to be his ticket to finding all the different ways one can get lost and bring down Kaoru and Yahiko's wrath. It wasn't Syaoran's fault that the last turn onto the shady street happened to have a guy who liked to pick pockets, just like it wasn't his fault that Syaoran could have sworn he saw a guy with red hair jump into a river causing a wild goose chase along the river's shores for the next couple of hours until Kaoru herself tripped and fell in. Using magic in a city that had a huge mass of magical energy surrounding it was _hard_. Unfortunately, Syaoran was stuck with two people who couldn't understand that. Syaoran had explained his dilemma by likening it to someone searching for a flashlight's beam in the middle of a spotlight's glare, but again, they didn't understand.

As if getting lost in Kyoto for several days wasn't bad enough, they had already wasted several days on the journey getting here. After the Watery incident, Kaoru was hailed as a heroine by the sailors and passengers. So much so that Syaoran and Yahiko had to create a distraction to cover their escape. Somehow the people of Osaka had gotten word of Kaoru's "mighty deeds" on the ship. Suddenly, Kaoru, Syaoran, and Yahiko found themselves wanted by random citizens who wanted to quickly become famous by meeting them, nosy journalists, determined policemen, and the irate owner of the fireworks Kaoru had used. Catching a train to Kyoto was impossible, let alone staying at an inn, until the incident blew over. Therefore the next day, they walked the nine and half hours hike to Kyoto. The subsequent few days were spent lost in Kyoto as Syaoran tried and failed to direct them to Sakura and Kenshin.

So when Yahiko asked for the three hundred and fourteenth time if they were there yet, Syaoran wasn't surprised at all when Kaoru snapped. "Say that again and I'll strangle you!" In the silence that followed Kaoru's death threat, Kaoru continuously muttered something about belting Kenshin when they saw him again.

Frustrated and upset, Syaoran frowned at the card in his hand. It had never failed him previously. But then again, he hadn't encountered a city so charged with magic in the Meiji era before. No doubt because of Shishio's work. All the more reason to reunite with Sakura and Kenshin. However, clearly nothing Syaoran did with the card worked. Using magic, he urged the card to vanish.

Spying Syaoran's actions, Yahiko asked, "What are you doing, Li?" Jarred out of her violent contemplations of Kenshin, Kaoru looked up and repeated Yahiko's question. The two of them were familiar with the card and its special properties.

Syaoran replied, "I'm leading the way."

"Uh, yeah, but don't you need the… you know what?" Yahiko pressed.

 _Do I really need the card?_ Syaoran shrugged. "I'm just going to search the city without it and see what happens. We aren't getting anywhere by using it anyway."

Reluctantly, they agreed and followed Syaoran. At first, Syaoran just meandered the streets, not heading for any destination. However, now that Syaoran wasn't trying to sense a particular magic from the card, he found himself more in tune to the magic within the city. He discovered some locations within Kyoto had more magic while others had less. The boy found himself naturally drawn to the areas with more magic. Eventually the sun began to set while they were in an area of high magic. They decided to head to an inn. While they were all worried, none of them spoke their concern aloud. It had been a little more than a week since they had left Tokyo and Kaoru was starting to run out of money. Syaoran was no expert on the price of living in the past, but he knew Kaoru probably only had enough money for about two more nights at a hotel. After that all money was to be saved for food. And after that… Of course that didn't mention the very real possibility that Shishio would make his big move soon. Or that Kenshin and Sakura could be facing Shishio at this very moment. Or that they could have done so already and be dead in which it would be impossible for Syaoran to locate Sakura through the card.

 _No pressure now._ Syaoran thought as he tried to remember how to breathe when a wave of nerves gripped him.

After a few minutes, the trio found a hotel. Stepping inside, Kaoru, with Yahiko and Syaoran trailing behind, approached the main desk. A young woman about Kaoru's age wearing unusual clothes greeted them. The woman gave them all strange looks as she listened to Kaoru explaining what rooms they wanted. Kaoru said under her breath, "So help me if she thinks I'm an yōkai exterminator, then I'll show her some _real_ magic." Syaoran couldn't help but smile. It was good to know that despite the rough past week, Kaoru hadn't lost her fiery spirit.

When the woman asked for Kaoru's name for the guest registry, Kaoru purposely lied, "Himura Sakura."

To everyone's shock, the woman put her foot on the desk, pulled out a dagger from her sleeve, and pointed it under Kaoru's neck. Instantly, Yahiko whipped out his shinai from behind his back and Syaoran entered a martial artist fighting stance.

The woman hissed, "Where did you hear those names?"

"Oh, thank _Kami-sama_. You know them." Kaoru exhaled in relief, tears moistening her eyes. She closed her eyes for a moment, calming herself. When she opened them again, she was determined. "I'm Kamiya Kaoru. Have you heard of me?"

The woman smiled in amusement as she withdrew the blade and took her foot off the counter. "You mean yōkai exterminator extraordinaire, kendo instructor of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū in Tokyo, the love of Himura Kenshin's life, and the one Cardcaptor-sama calls her older sister? Yup, I heard all about you from Cardcaptor-sama and Sun Guardian-sama."

Kaoru blushed deeply at the woman's words. And yet it didn't go unnoticed by anyone that the woman had neglected to add Kenshin's name to the list of people who spoke about her. Or the fact that she knew about the role of the Cardcaptor and Kero.

Pointing at Yahiko and Syaoran in turn with her dagger, the woman said, "You must be Myōjin Yahiko, and you Li Syaoran." She narrowed her eyes as she examined Syaoran. "We were ordered by Cardcaptor-sama to take extra special attention to guarding you in case you showed up in Kyoto. So when we heard that, we contacted the Oniwabanshū contacts in Tokyo to guard the dojo Cardcaptor-sama mentioned, but you weren't there!" The woman rambled. "Then we learn that you took a boat to Osaka, but no matter how hard we searched, we couldn't find you there. Figuring that we must have missed you guys, we assumed that you already arrived in Kyoto. So for the past several days we've all been running around like chickens with our heads cut off because with all this magic floating around we can't use magic in Kyoto to locate you. And here you are showing up at our doorstep! I can't wait to tell everyone that I not only found Cardcaptor-sama, Sun Guardian-sama, and Himura Battōsai, but also their entourage!"

"Hey!" Yahiko shouted. "We're no one's entourage, weasel girl!"

The woman brandished her dagger at Yahiko. "What was that?" she cried angrily.

Syaoran however had much more pressing concerns. "What?! 'Cardcaptor-sama?' 'Sun Guardian-sama'?! Himura Battōsai? How in the world do you know so much? Who are you?"

The woman smirked. She sat down on the desk, crossed her legs and raised her hands in the air as though gesturing to her surroundings. "For centuries we ninja have used ancient ninjutsu magic and skills to protect the city of Kyoto and beyond. We know every secret before people try to hide them. Spread throughout the country, we keep Japan in a magical balance while simultaneously shielding the existence of magic from the world. I'm Makimachi Misao. Welcome to the Aoi-Ya!"

* * *

Hiko woke up with the sun, rising even before Kenshin. Kenshin and Sakura slept quietly as Hiko passed them and headed outside. Sitting on the small porch outside the door, Hiko gazed out to the horizon. He didn't bother with breakfast, knowing that Kenshin would awake soon and make the meal.

Watching the sun rise was a long time habit of Hiko. It reminded him of the many mornings spent with Kenshin when he was a youth. The boy would be up early in the morning because of nightmares from his days as a slave or his parents dying from disease. Because of these experiences, Kenshin was extremely quiet and guarded around his rescuer Hiko. However whenever the sky lit up in reds, oranges, and yellows, a smile grew on Kenshin's face, giving Hiko hope that Kenshin could move beyond his fears and have a bright future.

From inside the house, Hiko could hear someone stirring. Kenshin said a sleepy good morning to Sakura. From the lack of response, Hiko deduced that Sakura was still asleep. A few minutes later, Kenshin exited the house and stepped onto the engawa. The footsteps stilled. Then the house creaked as Kenshin leaned back onto the wall.

In a quiet voice, Kenshin said, "For the past ten years, this one has watched the sun rise over the horizon whenever possible. It brought back memories of simpler times…"

Hiko grunted in response. _Is that the only way he remembers his training? As a simpler time in his life?_ Hiko observed the sun's morning greeting because deep down at part of him was hoping that he would be greeted by something else… or someone else. Just as Hiko didn't voice this aloud or his happiness in finding that something or someone returned, Hiko knew that Kenshin, too, was hiding the real reason behind his words. It was always this way between them. Hiko would endlessly call his apprentice as stupid during their training sessions, and Kenshin would get even with juvenile pranks when Hiko turned his back. Neither of them would ever admit that in reality, they would be lost without each other. _But is that really true…? After all, Kenshin ran away and found a new life without fully comprehending what I was trying to teach him._ Hiko sighed, not knowing the answer.

After a moment, Kenshin slipped inside the house, starting the process of making breakfast. Hiko remained outside meditating until Kenshin announced he was done. As Hiko ate, he glanced at Sakura's still sleeping form and asked Kenshin when she normally awoke.

"Usually not for another few hours yet. Although, she did sleep a lost yesterday so this one wouldn't be surprised if she woke up soon," Kenshin answered. Hiko merely nodded.

Once breakfast was finished, and Kenshin had placed food aside for Sakura, Hiko and Kenshin sat facing each other. Hiko crossed his arms, waiting. Kenshin closed his eyes. "It is a long story…" he began.

Hiko raised his hand. "There is no need."

Kenshin looked up sharply in surprise. "Eh?"

"I already know the truth," Hiko tossed his head to the side, "…because I'm a genius. During the Bakumatsu you met a woman and stupidly thought yourself to be in love at such a young age. Soon afterwards you had a daughter, Sakura. The past ten years after the Bakumatsu, you have wandered, with or without Sakura. During these years, you have returned to the woman's house several times. Fed up with your deadbeat ways for fifteen years, she finally had enough of you and she threw both you and Sakura out. In summary you're here because of some stupid lover's quarrel."

Kenshin's eye twitched. He whispered fiercely, "No."

"This doesn't answer one thing though…" Hiko rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

"This one does not want to kn-"

"Are you married or not?"

"Oro! This one is NOT mar-" Gasping in horror, Kenshin clamped his hands over his mouth. Hiko could see the blush rising on his cheeks from behind his hands.

Hiko smirked to himself. "I see. My _baka deshi_ has done it again: proven just how much of an idiot he is and how outstanding I am. You haven't told me this already simply because of that reason."

" _Shishō_! There are more important things to discuss-" Hiko raised an eyebrow, making Kenshin all the more flustered. He muttered something about fireflies. After closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Kenshin did something Hiko never would have expected Kenshin to do. He fell to his knee and bowed his head. "That which was left untaught within Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, the _ōgi_ , please teach it to this one!"

"Why should I?" was Hiko's immediate reply. He stood up and turned away. "You're the one who left. You-" Hiko stopped when he felt a tug on his cape. Thinking it was Sakura, Hiko turned about to yell that his cape was not pretty, when he saw that it was Kenshin.

"Please," Kenshin begged. "Please."

Hiko regarded Kenshin calmly, reading the desperation in his eyes. "I'll listen to your story at least."

As Hiko returned to his seat, Kenshin asked, "Do you know of Shishio Makoto?"

The name intrigued Hiko. What sort of person could give Kenshin so much trouble he would come running back here? Besides his lover of course. Hiko shook his head at Kenshin's question.

"Then listen to this one as he explains…"

Hiko absorbed Kenshin's story without comment until he finished. Leaning back, Hiko took a moment to soak it all in. "So let's see if I understand you correctly…" he started. "This Shishio Makoto character has gotten into his head that he can take over Japan with another civil war. You're getting closer and closer to relying on the cold, merciless mask of hitokiri Battōsai. And to defeat Shishio Makoto without becoming a hitokiri, you need to strengthen yourself in your current state." Kenshin nodded.

Hiko sighed, disappointed and exasperated. Fifteen years had passed. Fifteen years! And he was still the stupid idealist boy who chased after impossible dreams without heed of the consequences! "I thought I taught you swords are weapons. The way of swords is the way to kill. However you dress it up in righteousness, killing is your truth. Your naïve ideals… and the necessity of the moment. It's both selfish and foolish to assume you can have both."

Kenshin's eyes widened before he lowered his head, blocking his face from Hiko's view.

"Do you not realize that because of your actions to use the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū in the Bakumatsu that you have created the phantom Shishio Makoto!" When Kenshin didn't respond, Hiko continued, "The Ishin Shishi you aided because you believed in justice, quelled the chaos and built the Meiji government. But, at the same time, in order to hide all the horrendous crimes they had committed, they had tried to bury those who embarrassed them. All of the suppressed evil of the old days are embodied in Shishio who may lead us into yet another era of chaos." Hiko narrowed his eyes at Kenshin. "You, with your partial knowledge of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū played a part in creating that hellish monster."

Only getting angrier as Hiko continued, he slammed his hand on the floor and shouted, "Just as you have said, the truest mission of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū is to protect people from suffering! But it must be done without siding with any powers or parties! You must remain a free sword. You, who never understood this, do not deserve to master Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū."

Hiko lowered his head, disappointed, but resigned to his course of action. "It seems that teaching you Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū was a mistake." Kenshin gasped. Hiko didn't need to look to see the shock and hurt in Kenshin's face. Hiko knew because he felt the same. However, this was the only way. If Kenshin still hadn't learned from his mistakes, then there was nothing he could do for him.

"No!" Hiko and Kenshin both were startled. Behind Hiko, Sakura knelt on the floor facing Hiko, her head and hands touching the ground in the most humble way of asking something from someone. "Please! Teach him the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū _ōgi_! _Onegaishimasu_!"

"No, Sakura-chan!" Kenshin cried, slightly horrified. "Get up, don't beg for this one's sake! You don't know what you're asking."

Raising her head, Sakura replied, "I'm not a grown-up but I do understand!" Turning to Hiko, Sakura explained, "It's just like he said, he needs the _ōgi_ to beat Shishio and save Japan. He's working so hard… he, he's doing the best he can!" As Sakura continued, the more emotional she became. "For the past ten years he has wandered as a rurouni, trying to save people with his sakabatō all so that he can make up for hurting people in the Bakumatsu. You didn't see the sadness and loneliness in his eyes when he thought I was asleep when I traveled with him. You didn't see how his smiles never reached his eyes even though I tried my hardest to make him happy. You didn't get to watch as I saw him smile for real when we found friends at a dojo. You didn't have to comfort him when he was so upset after he left our friends to become a rurouni again so that he could save Japan from Shishio. Please," Sakura begged, tears streaming down her face. Her shoulders and voice trembled as she wept, "He killed people, but he's saved so many people's lives, including mine. So he has to defeat Shishio. Teach my nii-chan the last Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move so he can defeat Shishio and feel the happiness he has given to all the people he saved. Please. Please."

Hiko stared at Sakura, stunned into silence. He marveled, _This girl… Never in my life have I seen such devotion from one person to another. Never._ Hiko turned to face Kenshin. He whispered, "Is this true?"

Kenshin also stared at Sakura, his eyes wide and his mouth open. He watched as Kenshin's face softened into what could only be called love. Kenshin looked like he was about to go over and comfort the girl, but then he lowered his eyes in an almost guilty manner. He answered Hiko's question instead. " _A-Aa_. It is just…" Kenshin swallowed. "What Sakura-chan said is true. Since the start of the Meiji era this one has become a rurouni, wielding a non-killing sakabatō to protect the weak and the helpless and to repent for killing people, that he has."

" _Sō ka_ …" Hiko muttered, closing his eyes. For a decade, his stupid student had endured a self-inflicted hell to repent for his sins. Such pain, such hurt his _baka deshi_ was in and Hiko had no idea… no idea that for the past ten years Kenshin had indeed learned from his mistake and internalized Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū teachings. Kenshin _had_ changed in his time since being a hitokiri. His regret and empathy for Kenshin's pain prevented a smile from appearing his face as he stood up and announced, "Then come! I shall teach you Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū's final secret!"

Sakura leaped up and cheered, hugging Kenshin. Kenshin, who was still kneeling, wrapped his arms around Sakura. He whispered something in her ear to which Sakura nodded. Releasing the hug, Sakura wiped at her eyes. Hiko watched her, guilt growing in his chest. It was partly his fault for making her cry. Therefore it was his job make things right. Unsure of what else to do, Hiko placed a hand on Sakura's head. "You're a good kid, brat," he said quietly.

Sakura responded by grabbing Hiko's cape and blowing her nose into it. Hiko growled. Sakura looked up at Hiko with red eyes and said genuinely, "Thank you, Grampa."

Hiko examined her, trying to discern if she was thanking him for agreeing to teach Kenshin or for her use of Hiko's cape. It was then that Sakura's last statement of her impromptu speech hit Hiko. _So that's the real truth..._ Strangely, Hiko felt a mix of pride and disappointment.

Ignoring Sakura's inadvertent insult to his pride, Hiko stormed out of the cabin. He walked towards the training area without waiting for Kenshin to follow. Behind him, Hiko overheard Kenshin and Sakura exchange heartfelt farewells. Sakura wished Kenshin luck. Kenshin, like an overprotective father, told Sakura about the food he had left for her and that if there was any problem at all with anything she should come find him right away. Eventually the two parted and Kenshin fell into place behind Hiko.

"This one can't believe…" Kenshin murmured, "…this one can't believe that his pain affected Sakura-chan so much… and he guesses everyone back in the dojo as well. But… why?!"

Hiko sighed yet again. It seemed that even after such a display, even after Sakura had spelled it out for him, that _baka_ couldn't get over his selfish self-hate for himself. Well, it was a lesson Hiko was going to beat into Kenshin by the time Hiko was done with him.

Or else one of them would die.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Aa-An informal yes

Andon-Traditional Japanese lamp

Baka deshi-Idiot apprentice, stupid pupil, etc.

Futon-Japanese mattress that is put on the floor and used as a bed.

Hoe-Hoe is a made up word that is Sakura's trademark. She uses it when confused, embarrassed, or surprised. As far as I know it has no meaning other than conveying Sakura's feelings.

Kami-sama-god or Lord god

Kenshin no baka-Kenshin, you're an idiot; Kenshin, you idiot, etc.

Kimono-a long, loose robe with large sleeves that is tied by the waist with a sash, called an _obi_. Men and women can wear it. In this time, men can wear gis and hakamas instead if they were samurai, but women typically only wore kimonos.

Ne-Right? Isn't it? When attached to the end of a statement, it turns it into a question. "Ne" asks for confirmation or agreement. It is used in situations in which the person speaking is asking if what they said was correct and/or if the person they were talking to agrees with what was said.

Ōgi-The ultimate secret or best move of a sword style

Onegaishimasu-A more formal way of saying please

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Oyasumi-Good night

Sake-Japanese alcohol, in the English speaking world sake specially refers to Japanese rice wine

Shinai-Wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Shishō-Master; the manga stated that it is used in specific situations when a student addresses their swords master (and implies the sword style of study in question is made up of only one student and master), but today it is used more broadly.

Sō ka-I see, is that so, etc. Has other meanings of which I do not know.

To-chan-Daddy; oto-san means Dad or Father

Yare, yare-Oh brother

Yōkai-Mythological creature, but often translated into English as demon; Being called a yōkai can be equivalent to being called a monster.

Yukata-A light kimono with an open v neck similar to a gi worn when sleeping and used by both men and women

* * *

Don't be upset by Sakura's line about hobos looking funny. She's just a child. Plus I find the image of Kenshin looking like the modern day hobo (because he is a hobo, that's the truth) to be quite amusing. :)

Hello, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your review. If there is anything that you liked in particular, something you didn't like, or thought it should have been something else about anything at all, by all means, please feel free to tell me! Thanks again for the review!

Next Chapter: Kenshin begins training for the secret while Syaoran, Kaoru, and Yahiko become ever closer to reuniting with Kenshin and Sakura. Just as the trio from Tokyo is on the cusp of finding Kenshin and Sakura, they are faced with an enemy of Kenshin, armed with an important magical object.


	19. The Will to Live!

Once again, I apologize for the longer wait for this chapter. Should I be busy again, I will give you a warning of that again in the author notes. Thank you for your patience!

Most of this chapter is a compressed version of the events in the manga, so I tried my best to shorten it, delve into the scenes a bit more, and include other perspectives. You know, the usual drill. Still, I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the series represented in this story, but I really would like to own magic. Maybe then I can try to rule the world like Shishio. JK :P

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Will to Live!

His mind running around in circles, Kenshin sat on the stone furnace outside Hiko's cabin. No matter how much time he spent thinking, he couldn't come up with what he lacked. _As a rurouni, I don't really have any friends… but how does recognizing that fact mean anything when it comes to fighting? Fighting to protect the future of Japan is ultimately the same as fighting for the fate of a friend. Is it untainted soul, a soul without sin? That is something I cannot change. Even if I am forgiven for my sins or able to repent, it doesn't change the fact that I have killed. Is it money? I may not have it, but I'm sure_ Shishō _doesn't mean that…_

Earlier that day Kenshin had trained against Hiko. After a few hours, Kenshin was able to strike Hiko's arm. Seemingly reluctant, Hiko agreed to start teaching Kenshin the secret. Telling Kenshin not to move a centimeter, Hiko demonstrated the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move Kuzuryūsen. Because Kuzuryūsen began with a charge and attacked nine different areas at almost the same time, it was impossible to block or dodge. Once was able to Kenshin preform the attack himself, Hiko explained that was only the initiation into the secret. The worst had yet to come.

Kenshin shook his head of the memory and renewed his focus on the task at hand. _What do I lack? I lack the knowledge of what I lack._ Hiko's voice calling Kenshin his _baka deshi_ rang through Kenshin's mind. _It's true. I'll be the first one to say that I'm an idiot._ Overwhelmed, Kenshin lowered his head and sighed, pressing the end of his hilt to his forehead.

"Nii-chan?"

Kenshin opened his eyes and raised his head to the side to see Sakura looking up at him. Hoping she hadn't been watching him, Kenshin smiled at her. "Is there something that you need?"

Sakura stepped towards him, putting her hand on the furnace. "Can I come up?"

Kenshin blinked. Then he chuckled. Offering a hand, he helped Sakura up on the igloo shaped furnace. Sakura sat on the part the jutted out from the fire pit while Kenshin stood behind her and leaned back against the furnace to give Sakura more room. Sakura sat sideways, dangling her legs over the side.

After glancing at the cabin where Hiko was currently in, Sakura lifted her hat off of her head. Kero flew out of the hat until he landed in Sakura's lap. "So _Shishō_ , eh?" Kero said. "Well I guess that no one learns nothing on their own."

Kenshin gave Kero a lazy glare, recalling all the mischief he had caused through Sakura. However, now was not the time to address such matters.

Sakura asked, "How was the training? Did you learn the secret?"

" _Īe_ ," Kenshin answered.

After learning Kuzuryūsen, Hiko ordered Kenshin to contemplate how one could defeat the move. Kenshin realized the only option once a few moments had passed. What still puzzled Kenshin was what occurred afterwards.

 _Kenshin entered a battōjutsu stance. "If Kuzuryūsen could not be blocked or dodged, then the only answer is to use battōjutsu to strike the opponent before they have a chance to use Kuzuryūsen."_

" _That is correct. Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki. Dragon Flight of Heaven. As fast as Kuzuryūsen is, your battōjutsu must be faster still. That is the true nature of the secret." Hiko's voice became grave. "Still, your sakabatō, with its dull side against the sheath, was not made for battōjutsu. How fast can you draw it?"_

 _Lowering his hand from the sakabatō hilt, Kenshin stood up tall with both of his sides._

" _So you're going to give everything you have, knowing there is no chance of recovery if you fail?" Hiko's eyes darkened. "Reckless," he scorned._

" _Maybe so," admitted Kenshin. "But there's no choice." Kenshin thought,_ I have to fight for Japan… for Kaoru-dono so she can live a happy life without me… _Kenshin inwardly winced at the thought, but he pushed his own pain aside._ If I don't stop Shishio, everyone will die. I cannot allow that! I won't! _Clenching his fists, Kenshin narrowed his eyes as his determination of the hitokiri burned within him. "This one must learn the secret even if it costs him his life."_

 _Hiko's stare bore into Kenshin. For a long moment, the world stood still. "You really are a_ baka _," Hiko spat, his fury evident in his voice and hard stance._

" _What…?" Kenshin gasped, surprised._

" _When it comes down to it you don't understand a thing." Before Hiko turned away, Kenshin thought he saw a glimpse of pain in Hiko's eyes._

 _Raising a hand to stop him, Kenshin cried, "_ Shishō _! This one needs to know-"_

" _I give you one day-no. We've already wasted a night playing the stupid game of guessing at your love life. You have until sundown to search your soul and discover what you lack. If you cannot determine that, then not only will you fail to learn the secret, but also here will be the place where you lose your life."_

 _Kenshin could only stare at Hiko as he walked away, disappearing into the distance. Shishō_ … _Kenshin thought, despondent. Memories of the time Kenshin spent with Hiko as a child and young man sprang to his mind. Precious memories. Shishō_ … will you really kill me?

"Oh… Well," Sakura said with false cheer, "I'm sure you'll learn the secret soon."

Kenshin only nodded in response. The trio descended into a silence as Kenshin became lost in his thoughts and Sakura and Kero waited for Kenshin to speak his mind. Eventually, Kenshin whispered, "Sakura-chan… Kero… what does this one lack?"

Sakura's expression became serious. "What… do you lack?" Crossing her arms, Sakura contemplated the question in silence, before exclaiming, "Ah! I know!"

Kenshin's eyes widen and he stared at her. "You do?"

Sakura nodded at him and grinned. "I'll be right back!" She ran into the cabin.

"Sakura, no don't leave me at 'ere-" Kero sighed. Knowing that Hiko could come out at any moment and discover Kero's existence, Kero had to locate a new hiding place until Sakura returned. After walking up closer to Kenshin's foot, Kero laid a paw on Kenshin's hakama. He looked up at Kenshin expectantly.

"No." Kenshin warned. "Part of the family" or not there was no way that Kenshin trusted Kero not to do anything funny if he hid in Kenshin's hakama pleats. Kero hung his head in disappointment.

Sighing, Kenshin acquiesced and pulled out his gi collar from his body. Kero flew up to Kenshin's chest and sat inside Kenshin's gi, his head poking out. "You smell like a pig," Kero commented with disgust.

"This one _was_ training after all, that he was." Kenshin retorted drily, the stress of the situation rubbing his patience for Kero's games thin.

"Yer wet. And now you're making me wet. You better not making me smell like ya too." When Kenshin didn't respond, Kero turned his head to look up at Kenshin. Completely changing demeanor, Kero grew serious. "I could answer that question fer ya. About what ya lacked." Captivated, Kenshin hung onto Kero's every word as he continued, "If Sakura knew what the question meant, I'm pretty sure she could, too. No, I'm sure she could. She would have had an answer fer ya a few months after she met ya. But Kenshin, not every answer in life comes so easily. Everyone faces trials in their life, some have more and others have less." The volume of Kero's voice dropped into a whisper. "Admittedly, you've had a whole lot more than yer own fair share. If I could, I would help ya now, but I can't. This is a trial you have to face by yourself.

"I will tell ya this, though. All of yer trials and life experiences have made you come to one conclusion about yourself. But that's a wrong assumption. Think about it."

 _One conclusion about myself…_ Kenshin wondered. _What could that be?_

Before he could ponder the question further, Kenshin looked up to see Sakura running towards them, cupping something in her hands. When she reached them, she held up her hands. "What you lack is this!"

Kenshin examined the small white grainy lump in Sakura's hand. "A-A… rice ball?"

" _Hai_! You skipped out on lunch!" Sakura smiled. "And I even made it like a bunny like you taught me!" A bump of the rice ball that was supposed to be an ear fell off and onto the ground. "Oops. Five second rule!" Sakura picked it up and smashed it back on. Grinning, she offered it to him.

 _That's disgusting._ Biting back his reprimand, Kenshin accepted her gift. "Thank you, Sakura-chan. This one promises to eat lunch." _But not that… thing you just gave me._

Sakura beamed. Taking her hat off the furnace, she said, "Come on, Kero-chan. Let's go make more!" Kero flew into Sakura's hat.

Before Sakura could return the hat to her head, Kenshin whispered, " _Hontō ni arigatō_ , Kero for the help."

Kero turned to Kenshin. "It's up ta you if my words mean anything. Remember that." Kero buried himself into the hat, and the two disappeared into the cabin.

His mind running around in circles, Kenshin sat on the stone furnace outside Hiko's cabin. No matter how much time he spent thinking, he couldn't come up with what he lacked. Overwhelmed, Kenshin raised his head to the sky to look at the sun. _Only a few hours left._

* * *

Ten minutes before the sun touched the horizon, Kenshin met Hiko in the training area on a cliff next to the waterfall. The only thing Hiko said in greeting was, "Did you discover what you were lacking?"

 _Straight to the point as always…_ Kenshin tried to steel himself for what was to come and failed miserably. The thought of Hiko killing him had shaken Kenshin to the core. Hiko may have been a braggart and liked to exaggerate, but he was never one to mince his words or lie. If Hiko was going to kill him, he was going to. That was that. No matter how much they meant towards each other.

Kenshin hesitated in answering. "…No," he whispered.

Hiko closed his eyes for a brief moment. Then he unclasped his cape as he spoke, "If you can't see what you are lacking, not only will you fail to learn the secret, but you'll also never defeat Shishio. And even if somehow you do defeat Shishio, you'll never defeat the hitokiri in your soul. Instead you'll plunge into confusion, engulfed in solitude and in blood."

Kenshin stiffened at Hiko's words. It was as though Hiko had just revealed one of Kenshin's greatest fears. Hearing him say them aloud… made it sound like those fears would become reality.

Hiko tossed the cape to the ground. "As you master, it is my duty to spare you of that."

A swell of panic made Kenshin's mouth go dry. _By killing me…_ Panic surged within him. How could he possibly win against his master? He had never won while he was training when he was younger and even after surviving the Bakumatsu and ten years of experience as a rurouni could Kenshin even make one mark on Hiko. And now…

Waves of Hiko's power rolled off of him, crashing into Kenshin and making him feel small and insignificant in comparison. Hiko's eyes… they weren't the eyes of Kenshin's master, but a demon out to kill. He was a grim reaper about to harvest Kenshin's soul. There was no more doubt in Kenshin's mind. Hiko was going to kill him. "Are you ready, Kenshin?"

Kenshin couldn't bring himself to answer as Hiko stepped menacingly towards him. Kenshin noticed with only mild surprise that his hands were trembling. Sweat broke out and slid down his face. _What is it that's scaring me? Is it death?_ For before him, truly was death incarnate. _No, I'm not afraid to die. Not since I picked up my sword for the Bakumatsu._ Fighting against his fear, Kenshin clenched his fists. _I must learn the secret even if it costs me my life._

"Prepare yourself," Hiko intoned. In front of Kenshin Hiko started the form of Kuzuryūsen.

 _Death._

Kenshin froze as Hiko charged at him.

 _DEATH._

Was that such a bad thing? He was a hitokiri. Surely all the people Kenshin had killed and wronged would want his head. Maybe death was the only way Kenshin could repent. But just as Kenshin was about to reside to his fate, the voices and images of all of his friends rang and appeared in his mind.

Kaoru asking Kenshin to stay at the dojo despite knowing Kenshin used to be hitokiri Battōsai. Sano saying Kenshin wasn't Battōsai anymore, like Sano was no longer a fighting merchant, and that Kenshin better not wander off without his permission. Yahiko adamantly declaring to Saitō that Kenshin was the best swordsman and that it was because of Kenshin's sakabatō that lives were saved. Syaoran unable to hide his smile even as he tried to gruffly order Kenshin to take care of his Chinese magical combat outfit. Sakura whispering in Kenshin's ear that he would forever be her older brother and she loved him. Death meant never seeing any of them ever again. Death meant ignoring their feelings for him. Death meant letting all of them down, causing them endless suffering and misery.

 _I can't die yet. I can't even think of dying yet!_ Kenshin gripped his sakabatō hilt and ran forward to meet Hiko, drawing his sword.

 _I_ deserve _to live!_

If Kenshin didn't have the right to kill anyone, then no one had the right to take his life either. He may have killed hundreds of people, but those sins didn't degrade his own humanity. He wasn't a demon. He was a human being. Just like any other human being, Kenshin deserved to live, to smile, laugh, love, and feel the warmth of the sun on his face. By living every day saving others, he was infusing his life with meaning and purpose and worth and value, simultaneously battling the hitokiri within him and his own self-hate. If Kenshin wanted to live, to see his friends at the dojo again and save Japan from Shishio, then he had to fight to protect his right to live. Kenshin couldn't die yet. There was so much he had to live for.

What Kenshin's greatest fear was living a purposeless life… punctuated with a meaningless death.

Kenshin and Hiko parted as they passed each other. Silence rang through the area. It seemed to last an eternity before Hiko spoke. "Yes… that's it." Surprised, Kenshin straightened and turned to watch Hiko. He stood with his back towards Kenshin as he explained, "You carry much guilt because you've killed many men. So you take your own life lightly. You blind yourself to the fact that your own life is also a human life that needs protecting and has value. Because you don't believe you should live, you do not exert your full strength in battle. Therefore when backed into a corner by an enemy that you must defeat, you rely on the greater strength of the hitokiri. The hitokiri resurfaces and gains control." Turning around to face Kenshin, Hiko pronounced, "If you are to overcome this, you need the will to live."

Kenshin gasped as he beheld Hiko. A huge gash where the sakabatō hit him had torn into Hiko's chest. Thought the skin wasn't broken, the gash caved inwards. Regardless of the wound, Hiko continued, "Even if you protect and sacrifice yourself with the compassion of Buddha for the sake of those you love, they will always feel sorrow. They will never be happy, because you aren't happy. Even if you throw away your life to protect others, it is but one moment in time and time passes. But for those who love you, time will forever stand still.

"The will to live is the heart of existence. Do not forget that. Remember it and the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki. With it, you will not only defeat Shishō but also the hitokiri within you."

Tears welled up as Kenshin murmured, " _Shishō_ …" It was as though a massive weight had been lifted off of his chest, as though Kenshin could take a deep breath for the first time in his life. The sky was brighter, the sounds of the birds cleared, the world crisper to his eyes. As a rurouni, Kenshin's soul had rotted from the isolation and his despair. At his lowest moments, he thought himself as nothing more than filthy ant crawling on the ground, slaving towards a goal that could never be realized. But now his soul felt clean, purified even by the knowledge that he mattered. He was… He was _loved_. No more did he feel dirty or stained by blood. There was no more shame to be felt in the presence of others. If only Kenshin could feel the peace and harmony he experienced in this life changing moment for the rest of his days.

Hiko smiled at Kenshin before he grimaced in pain. "Don't worry about me. I learned the secret at the price of my master's life. This is beyond your vow to not kill." For one last moment the blood red light of the sunset lit up his features. Then his eyes rolled up into his head, and Hiko collapsed.

All of the harmony Kenshin felt vanished in an instant, replaced by horror. _What have I done?!_ Dropping his sakabatō, Kenshin ran towards Hiko screaming, " _SHISHŌ_!"

Upon reaching Hiko, Kenshin shook his shoulder. "Wake up!" Quickly realizing the futility of his attempt, Kenshin checked for a pulse. Feeling a faint beat beneath his fingers, Kenshin wilted with relief. _Thank the gods._ However, if Hiko didn't receive treatment soon, there was a very real possibility of him dying. After retrieving his sakabatō, Kenshin lifted one of Hiko's arms over his shoulders. Mentally, Kenshin berated Hiko. _You… you,_ baka _! You can't die! I won't allow my_ baka shishō _to die!_

* * *

Twilight conquering the world, Sakura sat outside the cabin, admiring the different types of pottery Hiko had created. Her favorite, she had decided, was a large jug with a green, red, and yellow dragon painted on it that curled around the jug. Poking it, Sakura murmured, "Dragon… like Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū!" Taking a step back, Sakura pretended to hold an invisible sword. Swinging her "sword" down, she exclaimed in a voice imitating Kenshin, "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūtsuisen!"

"Ryūtsuisen is a move aimed upwards that is first initiated with a large jump," Kero commented from somewhere behind her.

Frowning, Sakura turned to Kero and put her hand on her hip. "I know that. I just can't jump as high as Ken-nii. At least, not without the Clow Cards." Mentioning the Clow Cards caused an idea to pop into her head. "Hey, Kero-chan! You don't think that I can learn Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū if I use the Jump and Sword Clow Cards, do you?"

"Correct," Kero answered, flying over towards her.

"You really think so?" asked Sakura, excited.

"I really think you can't do it." Sakura huffed in irritation and crossed her arms. Changing the subject, Kero inquired, "Sakura, how much magic do you sense?"

"Huh?" Sakura wondered why Kero was asking such a strange question out of the blue, but, trusting Kero, she complied anyway. Taking a deep breath, Sakura closed her eyes and extended her senses. "There's a lot of magic in this area, but not as much as there was in Kyoto. Kyoto had so much magic that it was like Tomoeda when Eriol tested me."

Kero nodded. "That's mostly likely because of Shishio."

Wanting to experience the magic of the land again, Sakura extended her senses. To her surprise she felt the presence of two groups heading towards them.

Seeing Sakura jerk, Kero asked, "What's wrong? What do you sense?"

"There are a two groups of people with magic coming this way. But there could be more people who don't have magic." Sakura bit her lip and looked at Kero worriedly. "You don't think it's Shishio-san…"

Kero's expression became grave. He remained silent for a moment as he thought over the situation. In a quiet voice he ordered, "Sakura. Tell me what they feel."

"Feel?" Sakura asked, baffled. Of all the training she underwent with Kero by her side, Kero had never asked her that question. How was she supposed to tell what people felt with magic? However, Kero rarely became serious without a reason, so Sakura used her magic once again. "The person from the north… isn't hiding their magic. But their magic is strong enough that they should be able to. It's almost like…"

"They're preoccupied? Still, masking one's magic is supposed to be unconscious habit with training…"

Kero and Sakura locked gazes. "It's Ken-nii!" Sakura cried. "He'll be here in about two minutes."

"And the other group of people? This is important, Sakura."

Sakura once again concentrated on using her magic, this time sending her magic out to the west, in the direction of Kyoto. "They… They…" Sweat slid down Sakura's forehead as she tried to reach new heights with her magic. _They might be people who work under Shishio-san coming to attack us. Ken-nii might be in trouble if he is attacked without warning! So who are they? What do they feel?!_ Her magic surging, Sakura felt an aura that was so familiar to her, it might as well have been a part of her. "It's Syaoran-kun! And… and Kaoru onee-san! Yahiko-kun must be with them and maybe Sanosuke, too!"

"What do they feel?" repeated Kero with some measure of urgency.

Sakura nodded and probed the group of people with her magic. Sakura jerked in surprise as she experienced Syaoran's and Kaoru's disbelief and anger as they felt it, their emotions acting as one. Sakura pressed her hands to her temples in an attempt to banish the massive headache she felt as she tried to determine the cause of Syaoran's and Kaoru's feelings. The massive amount of magic she sensed when she probed the area again coursed through her like electricity. With a cry, she stumbled to the ground.

"Sakura!" Kero flew towards by her face. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Sakura took a few steadying breaths, holding her aching chest with her arms. A cold sweat broke out all over her body. "There's someone else with Syaoran-kun and Kaoru onee-san… someone with the most amount of magic I have ever felt… or maybe from something. I can't tell what it is."

His black beady eyes getting slighter larger in surprise and fear, Kero whispered, "Is it Shishio?"

"No… I didn't feel this kind of magic from him. It's someone stronger than Shishio-san."

"Sakura-chan! Kero!"

Sakura and Kero looked up to see Kenshin carrying an unconscious Hiko towards them. Sakura exclaimed, "Grampa!" as she ran towards them, Kero following behind her. When she reached them, she gasped as she saw the large gash in his chest. "What… what happened?"

Kenshin's eyes clouded over for a moment before they cleared with determination. Without stopping, Kenshin walked to the cabin as he spoke. "That doesn't matter. Sakura-chan, Kero, this one needs your help. Shishō needs medication attention, but it may be too late to get a doctor in Kyoto."

Sakura took Hiko's other arm and tried, a bit unsuccessfully, to assist Kenshin in carrying Hiko. She explained the situation to him. "Ken-nii, there's someone with very strong magic coming this way from the east. They're about twenty minutes down the mountain." Sakura purposely didn't tell Kenshin that Syaoran and Kaoru were on their way here, afraid that their encounter with the person who had strong magic might have been… deadly.

Kenshin made a noise of irritation and glanced west with a worried expression. "That means they're from Kyoto," he surmised, leaving the question of how Sakura knew of their presence without seeing them alone. Kenshin gently laid Hiko down on the engawa by the house. "Sakura-chan, Kero, stay here. This one will go and determine who this person is."

"But Ken-nii…" Sakura whispered in a voice that was barely audible, "…they might have more magic than me."

At Sakura's proclamation, Kenshin and Kero stared at her, horrified. Kero objected, "That's imposs-"

Kenshin recovered much quicker than Kero, his face a mask of calm and cool resolve. "All the more reason why you should stay here. This one will deal with this threat, that he will."

"No!" Sakura protested. "I have to go with you to keep you safe! You can't use magic like I can!"

"No," Kenshin said just as firmly. "Someone needs to watch over _Shishō_. Kero, please, direct her."

Kero gazed at Kenshin, his expression serious. "Kenshin… that's suicide. Plus, we can't defeat Shishio without you."

 _Ken-nii… you can't die. Don't leave me…_

Meeting Kero's stare head on, Kenshin replied, "Don't worry. This one has no intention of dying."

Kero gripped, "Stubborn old coot," but there was no anger behind his words, only weariness. "It takes you doing that to your master for you to finally realize that your life matters. And then now you have to face an opponent you can't defeat…" Uncharacteristically baring his worry to others, Kero muttered, "Why? Why does this happen…?" Kero broke off with a sigh and a shake of his head. Kenshin only dipped his head, his bangs covering his eyes.

Sakura's face twisted in confusion. _Did Kero-chan say that Kens-nii hurt Gramps? But that's silly!_

After a moment, Kenshin kneeled down to Sakura's height and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Sakura-chan, this one is leaving. But this one swears he will return. Stay here and help _Shishō_ as best as you can. Whatever happens, don't leave the cabin. If that person with the strong magic comes near here, you have to promise this one…" Kenshin swallowed, the only outward sign of his discomfort, "…that you'll use the Clow Cards and get out of here. Go back to the Aoi-Ya. Or back to the dojo if they were attacked by Shishio. Understand?"

Kero gasped. "Kenshin, are you sure? But then your master would-"

Standing up, Kenshin gripped the sakabatō hilt, looking towards the west. "This one is certain, that he is. Because this one won't let that happen." Without looking back, Kenshin ran down the mountain.

Watching Kenshin's form retreat into the growing darkness of the twilight, the only thing Sakura could do was offer up a prayer.

* * *

Shielding his eyes from the sunset's last glare, Syaoran turned his eyes to Kyoto. From their high altitude achieved by climbing the mountain west of Kyoto, the entire city was spread out before him, backlight by the red and orange of the sun setting. It was a beautiful sight that reminded him of his purpose: to find Sakura, Kero, and Kenshin. Hopefully, if his card was any indication, they were nearby.

After Syaoran, Kaoru, and Yahiko visited the Aoi-Ya, they learned everything that had transpired to Sakura, Kero, and Kenshin since coming Kyoto, along with more information about Shishio as a person. While Misao's assertion that Sakura, Kero and Kenshin had been in danger frightened Syaoran, he trusted Kenshin and Kero to protect Sakura and Sakura's own inner strength that Syaoran admired. He couldn't change the fact Sakura had experienced danger; he could only move forward with determination to reunite them soon so he could lend his aid in protecting Sakura in the future. That was the lesson Kenshin had taught him, a lesson Syaoran wouldn't let it go to waste.

Unfortunately, the trio from Tokyo had just missed Sakura, Kero, and Kenshin. Sakura and the others had left the Aoi-Ya heading to an unknown location the night before Syaoran and co. arrived at the inn. While Syaoran was despondent that Misao and the other omnitsu of the inn didn't know where Sakura, Kero, and Kenshin were currently, at least he was on the right track. Earlier today, Misao had remembered that Kenshin had packed some food and water for him, Sakura, and Kero before leaving. This caused Misao to wonder if Kenshin and the other had left the city of Kyoto entirely. However, the amount of supplies they had taken with them suggested that they weren't too far from Kyoto's borders. Hearing this, Syaoran, Kaoru, and Yahiko left Kyoto, once again following Syaoran's card. After putting some distance between themselves and Kyoto, Syaoran's card began to work again, warming whenever Syaoran thought of Sakura. Kaoru and Yahiko cheered at the news. Currently, they were traveling up a mountain west of Kyoto at the card's direction, excited at the prospect of finally reuniting with those they loved.

"Pretty sight, isn't it?" A voice said.

Syaoran turned around to see Kaoru standing just behind him, gazing out to Kyoto. When Kaoru and Syaoran locked eyes, she smiled at him.

Overhearing Kaoru's comment, Yahiko yelled down to Kaoru from the path above them. "Yeah, but an even prettier sight will be Kenshin, right Kaoru?" He teased.

"Shut up, Yahiko." However, judging by the giant smile on her face, Kaoru's heart wasn't in her words. To Syaoran's surprise, for a moment her smile slipped, and Kaoru's expression changed to one of loneliness and worry.

Syaoran frowned. _Huh? Why wouldn't she be happy that she's going to see him soon? Is it because he told her good-bye and didn't want her to follow him?_

Before Syaoran could ask Kaoru what was wrong, Yahiko shouted, "Last one up to the top of the mountain is even stupider and uglier than Sano!"

Flashing Kaoru one last smile of encouragement, Syaoran raced up to Yahiko. "Oh yeah? You aren't the smartest yourself, you know," he teased.

Yahiko shook his head as he ran ahead. "No one is dumber than Sano! Unless you're slow!"

Somewhere behind Syaoran, Kaoru grumbled, "Guys, you're just going to tire yourself out…" Syaoran ignored her and continued after Yahiko. With his head start, Yahiko was able to put quite a distance between them.

Suddenly, Kaoru screamed, "Yahiko, watch out!"

At that moment a shadowy humanoid figure appeared in front of Yahiko. In its hand, something long shone in the final rays of the sun and headed down towards Yahiko. Yahiko ducked and rolled out of harm's way, grabbing his shinai at the same time. When Yahiko finished rolling and was in a crouching position, the figure pointed a sword under Yahiko's chin. Syaoran, Yahiko, and Kaoru froze.

Syaoran lifted his eyes to see the man holding Yahiko at sword point. He was quite tall with short black hair with long bangs covering the sides of his face. His ice blue eyes were cold and unforgiving. He donned a white and yellow floor length overcoat that hung open, revealing his black clothes underneath. In a quiet voice that sent shivers down Syaoran's spine, the man ordered, "Tell me where Himura Battōsai is now. Or else this boy will face the consequences."

"Then kill me," Yahiko spat. "We won't tell you anything."

Syaoran gave Yahiko a pained look, but Yahiko only watched the man, defiance oozing from every pore of him. To his frustration, there was little Syaoran could do to help Yahiko. His fingers twitched to hold his sword and unleash his magic, but he didn't know for sure if this man knew of magic's existence. Far too many people abused magic in this era already. Syaoran wouldn't let his actions add to that number, and yet Yahiko…

Stepping forward, Kaoru stood beside Yahiko. Her expression was calm, but fury underlined her voice. "Let Yahiko go. Or else you'll learn the consequences of facing me."

The man studied Kaoru in silence. "Kamiya Kaoru…" he whispered. Everyone's eyes went wide. He turned to Kaoru, withdrawing his sword from under Yahiko's chin. "It is your father's dojo that Battōsai was staying previously… Your appearance so close to Kyoto can only mean one thing: you are searching for him. And being on this mountain means Battōsai is close by, as I suspected." He raised his sword arm towards Kaoru. "Tell me… what is Battōsai looking for? There is nothing on this mountain."

"Wrong." Kaoru unstrapped the bokken slung across her back and entered a fighting stance. Thank goodness she had the foresight to have dressed in a gi and a hakama instead of a kimono and carried her weapon on her. "I am on this mountain. And as long as I am alive, you will never find Kenshin."

Hearing Kaoru's words, Syaoran sucked in a sharp breath. _Kaoru-san… no…_ She couldn't be willing to die fighting that man. There was no way he could allow anyone to die right in front of his eyes, especially Kaoru who had been so kind and understanding towards him. Not if he could help it.

It seemed Yahiko possessed a similar idea. He stood up and brandished his shinai at the imposing man before them. "Hey! Don't you turn your back on me, you-!"

Without looking behind him, the man kicked Yahiko in the stomach, sending the boy and his weapon flying. Acting as though he had never been interrupted, the man continued his study of Kaoru.

"You magic and aura are quite unique. And strong for being mostly untrained. You warned the boy of my arrival. Prediction magic then, if I am not mistaken? Pesky thing. I should deal with that first."

Syaoran froze. This man knew magic, but how could he "deal with" prediction magic? One couldn't trick the person who saw the future; the future they saw was true. Unless the man wanted to make Kaoru unable to use her magic… but how? Syaoran gasped as he realized what the man meant. Sealing magic. His magic certainly was strong enough to stamp out another person's magic. His magic, Syaoran sensed, might even rival Sakura's skill. How could this stranger have enough magic to rival and possibly surpass the magic of the Cardcaptor, one who magic was the greatest of all time? All at once Syaoran understood. Syaoran clenched his fists, his jaw clamping painfully as rage swept through him.

He screamed, "Give me back the Clow Book!"

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki-The Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū ōgi, or secret/ultimate move of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. It is an extremely fast battōjutsu that goes beyond the god-like speed.

Baka deshi-Idiot apprentice, stupid pupil, etc.

Baka-Idiot, dummy, stupid

Bakumatsu-Before the Bakumatsu, the Japanese government closed its doors to foreigners and had three hundred years of peace. The arrival the American black ships carrying a message that the US wanted to trade with Japan forced Japan to realize how far behind they were. Some people believed for the sake of the country progressing, they had to open its borders, but others refused. This fight carried into the Bakumatsu. According to Rurouni Kenshin Restoration manga the Bakumatsu is a "fifteen year period between the arrival of the black ships at Japan and the Meiji Restoration… those wielding swords divided between the Tokugawa shognate forces and the Ishin Shishi (pro imperialist patriots) battled each other." Kyoto, the capital of Japan at that time, was were the battles were the fiercest and where Kenshin fought for a long time. While the Bakumatsu is a fifteen year period, it is important to note, that this time period wasn't completely filled with war. However, when Bakumatsu is mentioned in the story (or manga) it always refers to the war.

Battōjutsu-According to the manga battōjutsu is when a swordsman "press[es] the blade's edge against the inside of the sheath, then draw[s] the sword quickly to increase the speed of the sword's swing by two or three times." It is Kenshin's trademark technique and the reason why he was called Battōsai, as Battōsai means master of the battōjutsu move.

Bokken-wooden stick used in dojos to train students; very similar to shinai

Engawa-wooden wraparound porch in old Japanese houses and dojos

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Hai-Yes

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. Hakama have ties at the waist that are tied and act like a modern belt. To the sides there are large triangle shaped holes that show the gi underneath.

Hontō ni argiato-Truly, thank you; thank you very much; _Hontō ni_ means "really" and _argiato_ means "thank you".

Īe-No

Kuzuryūsen- A Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move. It relies on the god like speed of the sword style to nearly simultaneously strike all nine areas vital spots on an opponent. It is initiated after a charge to the opponent. It is extremely difficult to block or counter.

Onmitsu-Ninja; see Shinobi

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Shishō-Master; the manga stated that it is used in specific situations when a student addresses their swords master (and implies the sword style of study in question is made up of only one student and master), but today it is used more broadly.

* * *

I wanted to elaborate on Kenshin's revelation that he wanted to live and take it a step further by saying that Kenshin, despite once being a hitokiri, deserved to live, because he was a human being. In my mind it was one long grand speech and then when I typed it up I said everything in one paragraph. Oh well. I think it's an interesting point of debate whether Kenshin deserves to live or not, even if he didn't become a rurouni. As for my answer, it's in the chapter. :)

Hello, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad you though it was funny. Actually, I had the idea of Hiko mistaking Sakura to be Kenshin's daughter even before I started writing the story. Before I began writing this, I had a dream of Sakura traveling with Kenshin as he was a rurouni. When Hiko first sees Sakura, he wonders if Sakura is Kenshin's daughter, embarrassing Kenshin and Kaoru. As always, thank you for your review!

Next Chapter: Kaoru, Syaoran, and Yahiko must quickly devise a strategy to combat Aoshi and return the Clow Book back to its proper place. But how can they face such overwhelming magic? Will they be able to defeat Aoshi on their own or will they need help from a rurouni, who they have been searching for all this time?

Thank you for all the support! Don't be afraid to review! It would be nice to know what you think, so I can get some feedback and improve the fanfic. Thanks again!


	20. The Shadow Onmitsu Strikes!

Hello everyone! Here is the fight with Aoshi! It was a bit of a struggle to write, but I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I owned Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura I wouldn't be buried in schoolwork…

* * *

CHAPTER NINTEEN

The Shadow Onmitsu Strikes!

Syaoran screamed, "Give me back the Clow Book!"

 _Clow Book?_ Kaoru thought. _Isn't that the book that sealed away all of the Clow Cards? Then that means…._ Kaoru gazed at the armed swordsman in front of her. _His magic surpasses all of our magic combined. I have to make this a fight with swords if I have any hope of living. And I have to live. I absolutely refuse to die so close to seeing Kenshin again._

Hefting his sword, the man took a step towards Kaoru. Before he could progress any farther, Kaoru said, "You know my name. It is only fair and honorable that I know yours."

The man dipped his head in acknowledgement. "My name does not matter. Only killing Battōsai does. But if you insist. It's Shinomori Aoshi." Without any more explanations, Aoshi charged at Kaoru swinging his sword at Kaoru's shoulder.

 _He's fast!_ Grunting, Kaoru blocked the sword with her bokken. Before she could parry, Aoshi raised his other hand. Kaoru's sight became red as blows rained down on her head, neck and shoulder. Kaoru stumbled back. Panting, Kaoru held her shoulder as she gazed at Aoshi.

"Kaoru!" Yahiko cried, "Let me-"

"No!" Kaoru snapped, figuratively putting her foot down. "Stay back. Leave this to me."

Aoshi flexed the fingers of his free hand before forming a fist again. He addressed Kaoru, "I do not discriminate between my foes. Man or woman, I will fight them without holding back."

Kaoru narrowed her eyes in concentration. _He uses kodachi for defense and martial arts for offense. How do I counter that?_ A slow smile grew on her face. _Hmm… I think I know how._

When Kaoru didn't answer, Aoshi took the initiative. He lunged at Kaoru, his sword raised. Kaoru held her other hand by her sword hilt, prepared to meet Aoshi. Aoshi swung downwards toward Kaoru's head. Kaoru shouted, "Kamiya Kasshin-ryū _Ōgi_! Hadome!"

Crossing her wrists above her head, Kaoru caught Aoshi's blade between the back of her hands, all the while still holding her bokken. Aoshi's eyes widened in surprise. Kaoru smiled. "And just because I'm a woman doesn't mean that I can't fight evenly against a man." Adjusting her position, Kaoru yelled, "Kamiya Kasshin-ryū! Hawatari!" Sliding sword down the back of Kaoru's hands, Kaoru grinded Aoshi's own sword hilt against his throat. "Now tell me… where did you get the Clow Book?" Aoshi gasped, blood sputtering out of his mouth. But he said nothing. From the corner of her eyes she saw Yahiko and Syaoran watching her with wide eyed, almost fearful, expressions.

In truth, Kaoru hated that she was using such brutish tactics to get information from Aoshi. _And yet,_ the rational part of her mind replied, _I have little choice against such overwhelming magic. The instant he unleashes his magic I'm dead. And Yahiko and Li-kun._

"I will not be defeated by someone so beneath Battōsai!" Aoshi smashed Kaoru's face with his elbow, sending Kaoru railing. "Ryūsui no Ugoki. Flowing Water Movement." Without stopping for a moment, Aoshi ran to Kaoru's right. At least, that's what Kaoru thought he did. In truth, several after images of Aoshi surrounded her.

Bewildered, Kaoru took a step back, trying to suppress her surprise and panic at the doubles of Aoshi. _What kind of sorcery is this?_ After a moment, Kaoru realized to her shock that she didn't sense any magic. _But then how-_

In front of Kaoru, Aoshi swung in a large circle, his sword screaming as it sailed towards Kaoru. "Kaiten Kenbu! Spiral Spinning Sword!"

Kaoru held her bokken vertically before her, hoping to black his sword. The first full circle Aoshi turned, the sword cut her bokken into two. The second swing cut the top of Kaoru's hands holding the bokken. Gasping in pain, Kaoru let go the weapon. She was utterly defenseless-and open to Aoshi's next attack. Yahiko's and Syaoran's cries faded away as Kaoru watched in morbid fascination Aoshi's sword sailed towards her chest in a deadly arc. She would be cut in half. Only one thought crossed her mind as she closed her eyes. _I'm sorry, Kenshin…_

"Kaoru-dono!"

A figure jumped in front of Kaoru. The sound of clashing steel ran through the air. Electricity ran through her head to her toes, paralyzing her completely. _Only one person calls me 'Kaoru-dono'… But that's…_ Kaoru couldn't breathe. _That's impossible…_

"Kaoru-dono, are you okay?"

At the sound of his voice, Kaoru found her courage and opened her eyes. She took in the sight of his bright violet eyes, the sharp line of his jaw, the his mouth set frowning in concentration and determination. _Could it be…?_ Was he really here? Right in front of her, saving her life from certain death? Or was it a dream? No, it was just her imagination, her desperate mind playing a cruel trick on her. Because he left without looking back. He crushed her heart and destroyed her life just as he left to go and save it. He wouldn't be looking back at her now, asking how she was or saving her life when he had left so callously. …Right?

"Are you all right?" He asked with more impatience. Or maybe it was urgency.

Kaoru flinched. She nodded numbly before whispering, "I'm fine… Kenshin."

A flicker of relief shone in Kenshin's eyes. At least, that's what Kaoru thought she saw. It was always difficult gaging Kenshin's emotions, with so many barriers around his heart. To Kaoru's right, Yahiko cheered at the sight of Kenshin, while Syaoran released a breath he had been holding. Apart from a singular glance in their direction, Kenshin ignored the boys, putting all of his focus on Aoshi before him.

With a grunt, Kenshin battered Aoshi's sword away. Aoshi leaped backward, putting a fair amount of distance between them. "Battōsai…" he muttered. A sense of triumph was in his voice, but his expression never changed from cold indifference. "Finally we meet."

"Wait, Kenshin!" Kaoru cried, reaching out a hand to grasp Kenshin's shoulder. "He has the Clow Book! There's no way you or anyone of us can defeat him!"

Kenshin's facial features became grim. "This one knows. Sakura-chan detected a magic that might be stronger than hers earlier. This one realized on his way here that the only person, or thing, that could be stronger than her would be the Clow Book, with its properties to seal away all the Clow Cards. Right, Li-kun?" Kenshin asked, his eyes cutting towards the boy.

Syaoran nodded. "That's right." He glared at Aoshi as he accused, "Stealing the Clow Book is one of the worst crimes of the world of magic."

 _Sakura-chan? Then she's nearby? Thank goodness._ Kaoru felt relief ease up her tension. She couldn't bear it if she was harmed. Kaoru thought, _Kenshin probably feels the same. That's why he's here and Sakura-chan isn't._

Kenshin dug his heels into the ground. Sheathing his sakabatō, Kenshin entered a battōjutsu stance. "The question is: where did you get it?"

After a long silence, Aoshi changed the subject. "The Oniwabanshū were both ninjas and magicians. I can sense magic in you, Battōsai. Therefore in order to obtain the title of the strongest I will not hesitate in using my magic against you in our swords duel."

"You mean the magic of the Clow Book, not your own magic, you cheater!" Yahiko jeered, his hands cupping his mouth.

"No," Syaoran corrected with a shake of his head. "As far as I know, the only people who can use the Clow Book's magic are the two guardians and Clow Reed. I don't even think Sakura knows how to use the Clow Book's magic. Aoshi can only use his own magic."

 _Is that true?_ Kaoru wondered. _Still, Aoshi wouldn't carry the Clow Book for nothing…_

Addressing Aoshi, Kenshin said quietly, "Aoshi… there are people waiting for you. This one promised Misao-dono that he will get you to return, if you prove to him that you are no demon. Despite attacking Kaoru-dono, this one must ask that you lay down your sword. For the sake of the ones waiting at the Aoi-Ya."

"There is only one thing that matters to me. And that's killing you, Battōsai." Multiple images of Aoshi began to materialize.

"Stay back, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin ordered, his eyes tracking Aoshi's movements.

Biting her lip, Kaoru lowered her head, her gaze lighting upon the broken remains of her bokken on the ground. She had chased Kenshin to Kyoto was to prove herself to him… after coming all this way was she really going to back down now because Kenshin asked her to? _No._ Kaoru bent over and picked the bokken hilt off the ground and gripped it until her knuckles became white. She turned around with her back facing Kenshin's back, the both of them brandishing their weapons in front of them.

Kenshin turned his head to the side and asked, "What are you doing? You're going to get hurt!" Before Kenshin could continue further, Aoshi attacked Kenshin, forcing Kenshin to parry the blow. Aoshi retreated, multiple images of him surrounding the pair yet again.

"Well, excuse me, Kenshin," Kaoru replied. She hid her hurt from Kenshin's words and her joy at being reunited with him behind her anger. "If you think that I came all this way for you to just brush me aside like I don't mean anything, then you got another thing coming! I won't let you carry all the burden by yourself any longer!" Kaoru caught a glimpse of Kenshin's face. His eyes widened at Kaoru's outburst, his mouth partly open in surprise.

"You _are_ nothing." Aoshi ceased using his flowing water technique to strike at Kaoru. Kaoru blocked, catching Aoshi's blade with the base of the bokken. Aoshi and Kaoru's weapons pressed together until Aoshi's face was inches from Kaoru's face. Ice cold fire burned in his eyes as he hissed, "Stop interfering in our fight or die." Kaoru's only response was to grimace. Her bokken began to splinter in her hands.

"Lave Kaoru-dono alone!" Kenshin broke formation with Kaoru, swinging his sakabatō at Aoshi. Aoshi jumped back once again, too close to two fighters to remain in his position. Kenshin stood back to back to Kaoru as Aoshi encircled them again. Kenshin whispered to her, "If this was a regular swords match, this one would catch his blade with his bare hands, but he suspects that Aoshi would counter with magic of some kind."

Kaoru listened to Kenshin, surprised. _So he's not arguing with me in helping him to fight?_ Kaoru smiled. _Good. Now to think of a strategy._ Her eyes locked with Syaoran's eyes. Kaoru smile grew wider as she replied to Kenshin, "Then it's only natural that we counter with magic of our own."

"That's right!" Syaoran chimed in. "I can't allow him to get away with this." Syaoran took a deep breath, nodding. Closing his eyes, Syaoran held his sword horizontally in front of him as he beseeched, "Watery, I know I'm not the Cardcaptor and that you aren't sealed in a Clow Card. But Clow Reed said that people who use the Clow Book for evil must be punished. To obey him, please transfer your magic to my _jufu_ and grant me your power! Watery!"

Syaoran pressed the _jufu_ to the tip of his sword and water blasted out of the _jufu_ with all the fury of a hurricane. It seemed Watery was enraged by Aoshi's betrayal of the Oniwabanshū's vow to protect magic and the Cardcaptor. Despite Aoshi's use of the flowing water technique, Watery knew exactly where Aoshi was and encircled him, keeping Aoshi from moving.

"There you are. No more hiding now." Yahiko grinned. "Let's do this, Li!" A battle cry coming from his lips, Yahiko charged at Aoshi, his shinai raised above his head.

"Right," Li nodded. Throwing out his hand, Syaoran shouted, "Watery, go!"

Frowning, Aoshi pulled out the Clow Book out of his jacket with one hand. He held the book in front of him with only moments left before Watery attacked him and Yahiko reached Aoshi.

Seeing that Aoshi still held a kodachi in his other hand, Kenshin cried, "Yahiko, no!" He ran full tilt towards Yahiko and then tackled Yahiko to the ground. Aoshi's sword whizzed by just above their heads. Relief that they had evaded Aoshi's blade filled Kaoru, but the fight wasn't finished. _But how did the sword pass through Watery's defense…?_

Kenshin and Yahiko picked themselves up and looked up to see the same sight that greeted Kaoru. Aoshi held the Clow Book out in front of him, using it as a shield against the Watery's attempts to attack. Watery roared with anger as it continued to swirl around Aoshi.

"What?" Yahiko gasped, disbelief marring his features. "Why won't it attack him? Why doesn't the Clow Card obey you?"

Aoshi lowered the Clow Book a few inches, revealing his face. He smirked slightly, "Why, the Clow Card would never destroy something its beloved master created. Even if the Clow Book was made for the purpose of sealing their magic from the world."

"Screw you!" Yahiko shouted at Aoshi, shaking his fist.

"B-But then…" spluttered Syaoran. "I can't use any Clow Cards against you. How are we going to win without magic…" Syaoran let out a noise of frustration and annoyance. After making several pleas to water beast, he was able to tame the Watery. Watery disappeared.

"My turn now. Jissen Kenbu. Actual Battle Sword Dance." Aoshi appeared to split into three, then four images that disappeared and reappeared.

Kaoru analyzed the situation in her mind _._ Without a doubt, Aoshi's target was her. _He wants to kill me so he can duel Kenshin one-on-one. But… where will he attack from? The left, right, or behind me? The difference could mean life or death. I just have to hope that this plan works,_ Kaoru thought watching the ground.

Gripping her bokken, Kaoru scanned the ground for the telltale signs that would give away Aoshi's position. It was difficult to see because of the darkness. Then the moonlight glinted off Kenshin's sakabatō behind her, shinning onto the ground to Kaoru's left. _There!_ On the ground was a thick sloppy mud puddle that hadn't existed seconds earlier. Though Watery hadn't been able to pounce Aoshi, Watery had still managed to wet Aoshi's clothes, making water drip from his form. The water running off of Aoshi moistened the ground, turning it into mud. _Then Aoshi is going to attack from the l-_

"Kaoru-dono, watch out!"

Too late did Kaoru realize that the deep imprints in the mud meant Aoshi had jumped. Kaoru looked up to see an airborne Aoshi bearing down on her, his swords in a crossed over each other, forming an "x". "Gokō Jūji. Yin-Yang Cross." With just one motion, Aoshi would behead her.

"No!" Kenshin lunged at Aoshi, holding his sakabatō vertically. Kenshin's blade hit the point where Aoshi's swords crossed. Then Kenshin twisted the sakabatō to the side, jamming Aoshi's blades, preventing Aoshi from attacking Kaoru. However the forward motion of the fighters' charges brought one of Aoshi's blades forward enough to cut the side of Kenshin's neck. Blood flowed from the wound.

At the same time as Kenshin's save, Kaoru ducked under Kenshin, her bokken hilt held horizontally in her hands. "Tsuka no Gedan: Hiza Hishigi! Handle Attack: Knee Crush!" Lunging at Aoshi, Kaoru thrust the hilt at Aoshi's exposed knee with all of her might. She felt Aoshi's muscles and bones give way under her pressure. Aoshi grunted in pain. His broken knee unable to bear Aoshi's weight, Aoshi fell onto his other uninjured knee.

Kenshin stood beside Kaoru, blood dripping from the cut on his neck. Kenshin lowered the sakabatō. "Please, sheath your swords. With your knee in that condition it is impossible to continue." When Kenshin mentioned Aoshi's injury, Kenshin glanced over at Kaoru. There was approval in his expression. Kaoru glowed at Kenshin's unvoiced praise, a smile growing on her face and her eyes lighting up.

Aoshi released an exhale, a mirthless chuckle. He placed his hand over his wounded knee, muttering something. To everyone's shock, Aoshi stood up without any trouble. "I may not be as good as Misao with Kuji Kiri style, but I know a bit of ninjutsu healing magic. Such parlor tricks won't work."

Kaoru gaped at Aoshi, devastated. Her hilt had split into two after her attack; she was now weaponless and without a plan. Defeating that monster was impossible. "Kenshin," Kaoru began to apologize, "I don't-"

Melting into the darkness surrounding him, Aoshi whispered, "It's time you learned just how far outclassed you are."

"What the hell?" Yahiko gasped. "He just disappeared! Where is he?"

"Yahiko, duck!" Syaoran screamed. Yahiko dropped to the ground as Syaoran blocked an invisible attack with his magic sword.

"Yahiko! Li-kun!" Kenshin dashed over to the boys, intent on rescuing them.

Kaoru began to follow him when an icy cold shiver traveled down her spine, her chest constricting. She stopped in her tracks. Turning around slowly, Kaoru thought, _What was that-_

Kaoru jerked as something invisible plunged deep into her shoulder and the side of her stomach. Blood flew from Kaoru's mouth, choking off her scream of pain.

"KAORU-DONO!"

Kaoru tried to speak, but only more blood flowed out of her mouth. She half turned to Kenshin. Abject horror seized Kenshin's features as he ran towards her, his hand reaching towards her. _I'm sorry, Kenshin. I came here to see you… to prove my strength to you, only to die. Please, don't blame yourself, Kenshin. This is my fault. Forgive me._ She felt her knees buckle under her weight. Like the curtain descending on the final act of the play, she could no longer hear Kenshin's voice. Kaoru's last thought before the darkness consumed her was, _I'm leaving the rest to you._

* * *

Kenshin felt his own heart stop beating as though he had been the one who was attacked when he witnessed Kaoru start to fall. Kenshin caught Kaoru in his arms before she hit the ground. Her prone lifeless body still in his arms, he fell to his knees. Devastated, Kenshin crushed her form to him, not caring in the slightest about her blood getting on his clothes.

 _No… how this have happened?!_ Kenshin had traveled to Kyoto and left Kaoru for this very reason: to keep Kaoru safe. So she wouldn't have to face any of Shishio's twisted minions. She was supposed to be happy running the dojo, with Kenshin being a long distant memory. Yes, that was the only way Kaoru would have been happy.

But now… now Kaoru was bleeding, maybe dying in his arms. _Kaoru-dono, no… don't go… don't leave me here all alone…_

"Kaoru!"

"Kaoru-san!"

Yahiko and Syaoran rushed to Kaoru's side, their worried cries breaking Kenshin from his train of thought. Syaoran pulled out a roll of bandages from his gi. "Misao-san said to bring this just in case."

Kenshin breathed a sigh of the bandages from Syaoran, Kenshin hastily wrapped Kaoru's wounds over her clothes. He would have time to tend to her injuries properly later. When he finished, Kenshin gazed down at Kaoru's deathly pale face. Tenderly, he brushed his fingers through her bangs. In a voice thick with emotion, Kenshin whispered, "Wait here for this one. This one shall return to you, that he will." His words were stuck a stark contrast to what he had told her when he left Tokyo, but Kenshin wouldn't have it any other way. Now that Kaoru was here, Kenshin refused to let her go.

Kenshin ordered the boys to watch over Kaoru as he stood up. He stared at Aoshi, waves of anger pouring off of him. _That demon…_ Kenshin snarled. _He deserves-_ Shame coursed through he as he realized what he was about to think. _What would Misao-dono say? Or Kaoru-dono? I just learned the secret from_ Shishō _possibly at the cost of his life. For their sakes I must not waver!_

Slowly, Kenshin pointed his sakabatō at Aoshi and walked over to him, anger hardening his features. After a moment, Aoshi completely disappeared before his eyes. Kenshin gave a start. _What in the world?_

Syaoran shouted to Kenshin, "It's Shadow! Aoshi's using the Shadow Clow Card!"

Kenshin had to refrain from cursing. _How do I fight a man using the shadows during night?! There are shadows and darkness everywhere! The_ answer was provided for him when a dozen glowing balls of light materialized in the air. _The Glow Card, of course!_

The shadows banished, scurrying from the light. Aoshi emerged from the darkness, several feet away from Kaoru, Yahiko, and Syaoran. A frown marked his face. "It seems that you pesky interlopers must all be dealt with individually." Reaching into his coat, Aoshi pulled out the Clow Book. He raised a hand towards Syaoran.

A sense of foreboding filled Kenshin. Even with his limited training, Kenshin could detect the unexpected swell of magic within Aoshi. "Li-kun! Get away!"

But Syaoran would not be deterred. Syaoran stood up and pointed his sword at Aoshi. "How could you hurt Kaoru-san and the stupid kidnapper? You'll pay!" A volley of Glow orbs shot from his _jufu_ , heading towards Aoshi.

Aoshi wielded the Clow Book and it sucked the orbs out of the sky. Purple swirls of magic trailed out in a circle from the book. Kenshin could only watch in horror as the magic suddenly charged at Syaoran, plunging directly into Syaoran's chest. _My gods. Li-kun… just…_

Instead of falling to the ground dead, Syaoran bent over at the waist, gasping for breath. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Yahiko rushed to help Syaoran, placing one arm over his shoulders. "Wha…" Syaoran groaned. "What did you…?" His eyes grew wide as he stared at Aoshi. "You… you _sealed_ my magic?! But how? How can you use the magic of Clow Book?"

 _He just took Li-kun's magic away? ...How dare he?_ Kenshin sucked in a breath in between his teeth, trying to calm himself. Narrowing his eyes, Kenshin faced Aoshi, sakabatō in hand. "All right, Aoshi, you have it." Kenshin said in a low, dangerous voice. "You have your solo fight with this one. No one will interrupt us now."

"Finally," Aoshi whispered. "Enough childish games."

After staring at Aoshi for several moments, Kenshin entered a fighting stance. "Agreed." _Show me the state of your soul, so that I may determine if it can be redeemed._

In a dance of death, their swords clashed over and over again. Kenshin grit his teeth as he blocked a particularly powerful swing to his neck. _Aoshi may be stronger than I am, but I'm faster. So why…?_ No matter how many blows they traded, Kenshin couldn't land a strike. On the flip side, Aoshi had inflicted several cuts on Kenshin's face and torso. Thankfully, none of them were serious, but as the fight continued, it was rapidly becoming apparent who was going to win.

Kenshin so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed Aoshi's next strike. Kenshin parried Aoshi's blow sloppily, the force knocking the red head back. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Aoshi charged at Kenshin. _I won't make the same mistake again!_ Kenshin sidestepped Aoshi's thrust. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūkansen!" After stepping to the side, Kenshin spun on his heel, and swung his sakabatō at Aoshi's back with all the strength he could muster.

However, the sakabatō met no resistance at all. _What the?!_ Kenshin stumbled, completely thrown off balance. Silent as the night, Aoshi appeared to Kenshin's side and smashed his fist into Kenshin's face. Crying in pain, Kenshin went flying backwards.

"Kodachi Nitō-ryū! Onmyō Hasshi! Dusk to Dawn Strike!" Aoshi threw his sword at Kenshin.

Kenshin barely had time to recover when he realized the impending danger of Aoshi's flying sword. He batted it away with a swing of his sakabatō. Kenshin's eyes widened when another sword came within inches of his face. _Aoshi's second sword, hidden behind the first by traveling the exact same path through the air?_ Kenshin craned to the side, a few strands of red hair falling to the ground. _That was close-!_ Aoshi's knees rammed into Kenshin's neck. Kenshin made as strangled sound as he coughed up blood. Mercilessly, Aoshi kicked Kenshin's face, sending Kenshin flying once again, hitting the ground roughly. Pain lanced through Kenshin's body, making it difficult for Kenshin to rise.

Syaoran gasped in horror while Yahiko jumped up. "Kenshin, no!"

Aoshi snorted quietly as he strode over to Kenshin's prone form. He shoved his heel into Kenshin's stomach. "Get up, Battōsai. Or is this what you have deteriorated into since you have left killing behind? Defeating you as you are now would be meaningless. I want to face the incomparably cruel hitokiri who thought nothing of people's lives as he cut them down, the ultimate warrior. Turn your sakabatō around so that I may kill you and the world shall know the Oniwabanshū are the mightiest of all. And with that one last victory, my life shall be at its end."

Hearing Aoshi's speech ignited Kenshin's anger and disgust. Within his words were the echoes of Jin-e and Saitō's beliefs. To them that all Kenshin was, a hitokiri. That was all about him that mattered. "No…" Kenshin whispered, his voice barely audible.

Surprise flickered across Aoshi's face. Hope laced Yahiko's voice as he breathed, "Kenshin…?"

Raising his shaking hands, Kenshin grabbed Aoshi's heel in a vise grip. "This one is so much more…" Flinging Aoshi's foot to the side, Kenshin stood up and sucker punched Aoshi in the jaw. He screamed, "This one is so much more than hitokiri Battōsai!"

Aoshi faltered in his step for a moment, before regaining control. "What are you-?"

Ignoring Aoshi, Kenshin declared, "This one is Li-kun's and Yahiko's mentor, Sanosuke's friend, Kaoru-dono's… protector, and dear Sakura-chan's older brother." Glancing over to Syaoran, Yahiko, and Kaoru, Kenshin smiled gently at them. "That matters so much more to this one than his past, that it does. It is… what this one is now." Syaoran smiled at Kenshin in kind. Yahiko grinned and shook a fist in encouragement.

Turning to face Aoshi again, the happiness drained from Kenshin, replaced with determination. "'With that one last victory, my life shall be at its end'?! You are a fool," Kenshin spat, revulsion churning his stomach. Revulsion at Aoshi, and at himself, who Kenshin could see oh so painfully clearly before him personified in Aoshi. "Do you truly think for one second that your death is what Misao-dono, Okina-dono, or the your men who died for you in the Bakumatsu want?"

Aoshi said nothing. He only continued to stare at Kenshin, ice in his eyes.

Picking up his sakabatō that had fallen to the ground, Kenshin said, "Ten years has passed since this one abandoned the sword and took up the sakabatō." Kenshin gripped the hilt in his hands and straightened, his eyes never leaving Aoshi. "For ten years this one has traveled as a rurouni because the images of those he killed have haunted him. This sakabatō and this one's non killing vow are the answer to the repentance that he seeks. This is his strength. There is no turning back to the weak ways of old. If this one is to make you see the light of truth…" Kenshin swung the sakabatō, shouting, "… then it shall be done as this one's self-Himura Kenshin!"

"So…" Aoshi muttered, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed Kenshin. "You've found a way to achieve full strength while wielding a sakabatō? Nonsense!" Aoshi cried. "How can you fight with everything you have if you are holding back, afraid of killing me?"

 _Because…_ Kenshin answered silently, a determined smile on his lips. _Thanks to_ Shishō's _lessons, I trust myself… and the sakabatō. I no longer need to fear the possibility of old hitokiri instincts rising to the surface and killing someone._

Seeing Kenshin's confident smile made Aoshi shook his head. "Such empty words. I will beat the foolishness out of you."

"Will you?" Kenshin asked as he crouched into a battle stance. "Let's see."

Aoshi's form became blurry for a moment. _How is he doing that? Ah!_ Aoshi reappeared in front of Kenshin swinging his sword down at Kenshin. Kenshin took a step back and raised up the sakabatō to meet the blade. When Aoshi lifted his other hand, Kenshin braced his legs, about to jump back. However, Aoshi's hand held no sword; it was a just fist. _He's using both kodachi and martial arts as offense?_ Recovering from his surprise, Kenshin raised his hand, intending to catch Aoshi's fist with his palm. However, to Kenshin's horror, Aoshi's fist passed through Kenshin's hand, like Aoshi was a ghost.

The moment seemed to last forever as one thought persisted in Kenshin's mind. _Magic…_ The true weight of the word hit him. Fear like Kenshin hadn't known ever before consumed him. For the first time, Kenshin realized just how deep he was in the chasm of the utterly alien world of magic. The lives of people he cared about rested on his shoulders, the entire fate of Japan counted on Kenshin's ability to turn this situation around and emerge victorious against Aoshi and Shishio. But with so little understanding of magic, no matter how determined Kenshin was to win he was completely helpless against the ninja. Completely helpless, defenseless, and exposed to Aoshi's attacks. It was just a matter of time until his death.

Aoshi fist connected into Kenshin's jaw. His jaw cracking, Kenshin reeled backwards. Kenshin covered his mouth as he coughed up blood, eyes scanning for any signs of Aoshi. A blow on Kenshin's back sent Kenshin tumbling to the ground.

 _No, I can't die… I have to… I have to do something!_

"Kenshin, watch out!" cried Yahiko.

Kenshin rolled to the side and onto his feet, dodging Aoshi's sword slice. Kenshin faced Aoshi with his sakabatō in hand, panting heavily. A phantom of a smile crossed Aoshi's lips as he charged at Kenshin. Kenshin was entirely on the defensive, blocking sword slashes and evading Aoshi's punches and kicks when possible. However, the blows Aoshi landed were beginning to take their toll and Kenshin slowed. In a desperate attempt to confirm what Kenshin already knew, Kenshin tried to punch Aoshi. Instead his hand went through Aoshi like the onmitsu wasn't even there. Aoshi punished Kenshin with a devastating kick to Kenshin's shoulder. If Aoshi had attacked with any more power, Kenshin's shoulder would have dislocated. Kenshin gritted his teeth against the pain and blocked another strike.

 _So Aoshi can touch me, but I can't touch him._ Kenshin deduced. _Swords seem to be normal. He has the Shadow Clow Card while I none. How do I counter against something I can't even touch?!_ In his mind, Kenshin replayed every memory of Kero teaching Kenshin about magic. Magic draws from every part of the body and the soul. _The soul. Would that be… the mind, then? If that's the case… if I can break his concentration then I think I can get his Aoshi's to stop using magic for a moment. In that instant, if I counter with the secret maybe… Maybe I can win! Now is the time, Aoshi… time to fulfill my promise._

"The men who gave up their lives for you during the Bakumatsu… Han'nya, Shikijō, Beshimi, and Hyottoko…" Kenshin whispered. "What would they say if they saw you now? Hearing things like you throwing your life away after they saved it…"

Aoshi froze momentarily. Then rage seized him and he struck Kenshin's jaw again with the hilt of his sword. Though Kenshin saw stars, he still continued. "You wish to honor their memory, to right a terrible wrong. This one understands, truly, that he does. But are your actions are desecrating their names. You're turning them into evil spirits." Kenshin raised his head and shouted, "You're using them as some selfish excuse to kill!" Kenshin swung his hand to the side for emphasis and then raised a clenched fist at the man before him. "The truth is in the present, Aoshi! You're not fighting for them, you're just trying to overcome your own insecurities regarding your strength because they died! Aren't you? Aren't you?!"

Furious, Aoshi smashed an uppercut to the underside of Kenshin's jaw. Kenshin fell onto his backside, too stunned to defend himself. Instead of following up the blow, Aoshi glared down at Kenshin, panting.

"Think, Aoshi," Kenshin pleaded, his voice raw and cracked. "Your sword and magic skills are unparalleled, but the strength of the heart… It barely casts a shadow. You are weak."

Aoshi kicked Kenshin upside the head. Kenshin rolled several times, before picking himself up and resting on his knees and forearm. "While training, this one discovered a new strength far beyond the willingness to die." Using his sakabatō for support, Kenshin stood up and whispered, "The bravest act is to continue living. The will to live outshines any and all other strengths. If you are so willing to die in your pursuit of strength, then you've already lost."

Growling, Aoshi swung his sword at Kenshin's neck. Kenshin didn't move, only stared deep into Aoshi's eyes. Eyes that were… starting to show human emotion again.

"No!" Syaoran gasped.

At the last moment, Kenshin's hand shot out and grabbed the base of Aoshi's kodachi, effectively stopping the blow. "Aoshi… did you know that Misao-dono cried when this one promised that he would bring you back? It's not too late, Aoshi. Move beyond the pain of your past, open your eyes, and look to the future. There are people suffering because of you right now. Only you can soothe them. There is still hope, Aoshi. Embrace hope, not death.

"Or will you still run away from the truth? Will you still hide behind the sacrifice of those who died for you?" Kenshin pulled the kodachi he held towards him, bringing his and Aoshi's faces closer together. "Find your courage, Aoshi! Call back the soul you lost! It's time to restart the life that died alongside your men!" Their faces only inches apart, Kenshin screamed, "It's time to wake up!"

Everyone held their breath as the two fighters stared at each other. Kenshin knew that if Aoshi wanted to, he could kill Kenshin where he stood with his other kodachi. However, Aoshi's eyes bored into Kenshin, searching for something deep within him. After a moment, Aoshi shoved Kenshin away and raised his sword. Kenshin stumbled back, knowing that he had failed in reaching Aoshi. _I'm sorry, Misao-dono but it seems that Aoshi's heart just can't be…_

Aoshi lowered the sword at his side and turned around. "Even if your words are true… how can I move on without knowing whose strength, the strength of giving up one's life of the strength from the will to live, is stronger?" Aoshi turned around and entered a battle stance, both kodachi held in a reverse grip. "We must finish this."

 _His eyes… they're human. This is the Shinomori Aoshi that respected Okina-dono and Misao-dono admired…_ Kenshin smiled.

"Kodachi Nitō-ryū. Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren. Spinning Heavenly Sword Dance Six Successions." Aoshi ran full tilt towards Kenshin and then melted into the shadows, vanishing completely.

Kenshin gasped. _I've lost my moment to attack while his concentration broke! With the Shadow Clow Card, he disappear and reappear at will to attack me with his Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren from any direction while I-_

"Kenshin nii-chan!"

Kenshin turned around to see Sakura running towards him, wand in her hand and Kero flying behind her. Kenshin raised his hand towards her. "Sakura-chan!"

Knowing what he needed without asking, Sakura threw her wand with everything she had. Kenshin caught the wand with his outstretched hand as the wand transformed into a sword. Another sakabatō. Kenshin sheathed the original sakabatō.

"Sword Clow Card!" Sakura cried. "Go!"

Behind Kenshin, Aoshi fell from the sky. His swords crossed above his head, about to slice them downwards at Kenshin and unleash the two of the six strikes of Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren.

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Kuzuryūsen! Nine Headed Dragon!" Wheeling around, Kenshin blocked the first of Aoshi's strikes aimed at Kenshin's right shoulder. _Ichi._ Aoshi brought down his other kodachi towards Kenshin's left shoulder and Kenshin moved the Sword Clow Card to the other side to meet it. _Ni._ Aoshi disappeared and reappeared behind Kenshin, his swords crossed in an "x" below his waist. He swung upwards at Kenshin's chest from the left. Turning around, Kenshin rebuffed the slash. _San._ After the third strike, Kenshin twisted to stop the strike from the kodachi in Aoshi's other hand aimed at Kenshin's chest from the right. _Shi_. Aoshi appeared to Kenshin's left, and swung at Kenshin's left arm. Holding the Sword Clow Card vertically, Kenshin opposed the attack. _Go._ Growling in furious rage, Aoshi materialized to Kenshin's right. _Roku._ With a battle cry, Kenshin parried Aoshi's last strike. Aoshi stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock and horror at having being so utterly defeated.

But Kenshin wasn't finished.

Kenshin swung his sword down from above onto Aoshi's head. _Shichi._ Using the god like speed, Kenshin lowered his sword and swung upwards to Aoshi's lower stomach. _Hachi._ With the final attack of Kuzuryūsen, Kenshin thrusted at Aoshi's chest. Blood poured out of Aoshi's mouth and rained down on Kenshin's head as Aoshi bent over from the force of the blow. From deep within Kenshin ripped out a bloody raw scream.

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Amakakeru no Ryū Hirameki!"

Dropping the sword created from the Clow Card, Kenshin unsheathed the original sakabatō from its hilt and unleashed the _ōgi_ of his sword style, smashing into Aoshi's chest with all the ferocity of a dragon. Aoshi was sent flying several yards from the force of Kenshin's secret move until he hit the ground. Silence filled the air. After pausing for a moment, Kenshin sheathed the sakabatō.

He had won.

Kenshin had used the first six attacks of the nine strikes of Kuzuryūsen to block all six strikes of Aoshi's Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren. Aoshi had used his shadow magic to disappear and reappear on different sides of Kenshin to attack, but Kenshin was still able to counter. Thanks to Sakura lending Kenshin a magic sword. The magic of the Sword Clow Card resonated with and was attracted to Aoshi's Shadow card, guiding Kenshin to Aoshi's strikes no matter what direction Aoshi attacked from. After blocking Aoshi's six attacks of Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren with the Kuzuryūsen, Kenshin followed up with the last remaining three moves of the Kuzuryūsen. Discarding the sword from Sakura's Sword Card, Kenshin unsheathed his original sakabatō and unleashed the _ōgi_ of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. Aoshi never stood a chance.

"It seems…"Aoshi croaked. "…that the will to live is stronger… than any other force imaginable."

"Yes," Kenshin whispered. "Yes it is."

Strangely, at the battle's conclusion a sense of peace filled him. Kenshin closed his eyes, his mind reflecting over the events of the fight. It was as the words Kenshin had spoken to Aoshi where in reality directed towards Kenshin himself. _Yes… I need to wake up. To stop hiding behind the selfish belief that I am unworthy as an excuse to pull away from others. It is time for this one to open his eyes and see the truth that has been so plainly put before him._

"Kenshin…?"

Kenshin froze. Slowly, ever so slowly, Kenshin turned around to behold Kaoru standing and facing him. Her hair was freed from her usual ponytail and in the slight breeze of the night, it billowed around her, reflecting the soft glow of the moonlight. She may have been sweaty, dirty, and bloody, but as she reached out to Kenshin with his name on her lips, to Kenshin, Kaoru had never been more beautiful.

"Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin murmured.

"Kenshin, did you really mean all that?" Kaoru took a step forward, her features twisted into concern. "Did you finally learn…?" Gasping, Kaoru stumbled slightly.

Kenshin raced forward to catch her, grasping her upper arms. Kaoru leaned into Kenshin, depending on him to support her weight. The two blushed as they realized that their faces were only several inches apart. However, neither found they could look away from each other.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru breathed. Her sad blue eyes pleaded with Kenshin as she whispered, "I… I don't know if I'm strong. But I know that I was left behind because you thought I was weak, as something fragile that needed protecting. Maybe that's was what I was when we first met. But since then, we've been through a lot of dangerous situations, and we emerged victorious, doing the impossible. So now… Now I vow to grow stronger, strong enough to help you with your fights as best as I can and protect you from the pain of your past, if you let me."

Hearing Kaoru's words, Kenshin gasped. A memory surfaced in his mind. When Kenshin was doing the laundry after Kawaji had asked Kenshin to go to Kyoto, he had felt lost. In his despair and fear of losing his identity, the young Shinta had arisen from the depths of his soul, asking who would protect him. Who would protect Kenshin from himself if he became hitokiri Battōsai again? Would he be all alone as he slowly killed himself by sacrificing himself to save others? For the first time, Kenshin's eyes were wide open. The answer was right in front of him, personified in the woman before him. Kaoru had proven her devotion to him by fighting Aoshi, a fight she couldn't possibly have won on her own, but for Kenshin's sake, just to see Kenshin again, she had risked her life anyway. At the thought, Kenshin's elation and surprised were replaced with worry… and anger.

"Kenshin, I…" Kenshin stilled as Kaoru raised her hand and wiped away the blood from above Kenshin's eye, her hand trailing down his cheek. "…I followed you to Kyoto. You told me not to come, but I did. Are you angry with me?"

Several moments passed as Kenshin searched his soul for the answer. Closing his eyes, Kenshin raised his hand to cover Kaoru's hand that still by his cheek. "Half." After removing Kaoru's hand from his face, Kenshin let her hand drop. Though Kaoru lowered her gaze, Kenshin saw how her eyes swam with hurt, but also resignation. Kenshin recognized that look, because it was a face he had worn so many times. It was the look of a person who knew they had caused suffering and fully expected for more suffering to come. An expression that should never mar Kaoru's face. And yet despite his feelings, Kenshin couldn't bring himself to smile as he finished, "…but the other half is relieved."

Kaoru glanced up sharply at Kenshin, surprise and a wary joy written on her face. However, Kenshin refused to meet her eyes as he broke away and stepped back. "Shishio's men are everywhere." Kenshin tried to keep the desperation from his voice as he whispered, "You must promise to be careful."

To Kenshin's astonishment, Kaoru actually smirked. "Only if you do the same."

Before Kenshin could reply, Kero interrupted them. "Everyone, listen up. This is huge."

Everyone turned to Kero, Sakura, and Syaoran standing by the unconscious Aoshi. Sakura cradled the Clow Book to her chest. Her eyes belied the anger and anxiety she felt as she said, "Misao-san told me the Clow Book was stolen from the Aoi-Ya. Kero-chan thinks Aoshi-san did it. That means Aoshi-san gave the Clow Book to Shishio-san, so he could move Kero-chan and I to Meiji from the present. If that's true… then maybe I can use the Clow Book to return us back home."

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Bokken-wooden stick used in dojos to train students; very similar to shinai

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Ichi, ni, san… hachi-One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

Jufu-a slip of enchanted paper that Syaoran uses, in conjunction with his sword, to use magic.

Kodachi-A sword that is longer than a dagger, but shorter than a sword. It is excellent for defense.

Kuzuryūsen- A Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move. It relies on the god like speed of the sword style to nearly simultaneously strike all nine areas vital spots on an opponent. It is initiated after a charge to the opponent. It is extremely difficult to block or counter.

Ōgi-The ultimate secret or best move of a sword style

Shadow-A Clow Card. Shadow has the ability to gather the shadows of people and objects to itself to give it more strength. In the presence of light, the shadows of other things fade away, leaving the Shadow Clow Card behind and vulnerable. Sakura has used Shadow to track down people.

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Shishō-Master; the manga stated that it is used in specific situations when a student addresses their swords master (and implies the sword style of study in question is made up of only one student and master), but today it is used more broadly.

Watery-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Watery is aggressive water female spirit that can control water.

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For those of you who like Sakura and Syaoran being together, the beginning of next chapter covers their romantic reunion. :) Because I have a big test tomorrow, I'm not including the definition of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū moves or Aoshi's sword style in the dictionary. The Japanese translation of the moves' names are within the story and people who want to know more about them can find them on the Rurouni Kenshin wiki.

 **Big News!** My brother has written a crossover between Yu Yu Hakusho and Assassination Classroom. He doesn't have a ff. net account and his writing style is very similar to mine, so I will post it as a story under my account (with his permission). If you are a fan of the two series, check it out and leave a comment! Thanks, everyone!

Hi, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad you enjoyed. I hope you liked this chapter as well; I was quite surprised when the fight turned out to be an entire chapter long! (And I hope that the fight was clear and not confusing to you or anyone…) Thanks for writing a review!

Next Chapter: Kero, Sakura, and Syaoran argue over the merits of working to return them home now or after defeating Shishio, leaving some bad blood between them. Also, Syaoran learns what exactly is required of him to overcome Aoshi's sealing magic placed on him.


	21. For the Future!

Hello, everyone! Here is the next installment. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Even if I claimed that I owned Rurouni Kenshin and Cardcaptor Sakura, would anyone believe me? Of course not. And so I don't own any characters within this story.

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CHAPTER TWENTY

For the Future!

Syaoran watched the battle between Aoshi and Kenshin unfold before his eyes, completely transfixed. It seemed that in the amount of time they had been separated, Kenshin had changed somehow. Grown stronger, more sure of himself. It was very unexpected sight for Syaoran. When Syaoran and the others caught up Kenshin and Sakura-for Syaoran was sure that they would-Syaoran had expected Kenshin to be depressed and uncertain of himself as he had been before he left Tokyo. _We heard what happened to him and Sakura from Misao-san, and nothing seems to be so life changing that he would be this way… so what happened?_

"Kenshin nii-chan!"

Shock rooted Syaoran to the spot. As though in a dream, Syaoran turned to behold Sakura in her Cardcaptor outfit, running towards Kenshin with her pink wand in hand. Her short brown hair blew about her. Though she was charging headlong into a bloody fight, no fear or worry marred her features. Instead she was the determined Cardcaptor from the future who faced dangerous Clow Cards every other week, relying on her vast magical power and inner strength to seal the wild cards. The Cardcaptor Sakura that Syaoran had come to admire… and love.

Her entrance was a complete surprise for Syaoran. Because Aoshi had sealed Syaoran's magic with the Clow Book, he hadn't sensed the magic that Sakura within her as she headed towards the battle. Using Sakura's Sword Clow Card, Kenshin won in the duel against Aoshi. Once the danger from Aoshi passed, Syaoran ran towards Sakura with open arms, pure euphoria possessing him.

"Sakura!"

Sakura turned from watching Kenshin to Syaoran. In that instant, all the determination shown on her face melted into the sweetest smile Syaoran had ever seen grace her face.

"Syaoran-kun!"

Sakura ran towards Syaoran and the two hugged each other fiercely upon reaching each other. The rest of the world faded away as they reveled in the joy of their reunion. "Sakura…" Syaoran murmured into her hair. "I found you again, just like I promised I would. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to protect-"

"No." Sakura released her hold on Syaoran slightly to look at Syaoran. "The things that happened to Ken-nii and I on the way here is our fault, not yours or anyone else's. I chose to come along with him. I chose…" Sakura bit her lip and lowered her gaze. She whispered forlornly, "…I chose to leave you behind… I'm sorry for hurting you…"

Though Syaoran couldn't deny that he wasn't upset and angered that Sakura left without him, Syaoran empathized with her. "Sakura, I understand. You told me about your dream in the letter. If I had that dream, I might have gone to Kyoto without you, too."

At Syaoran's mention of her dream, Sakura flinched, tears brimming in her eyes. "Yes… if it comes true like my dream of me standing atop of Tokyo Tower, I… I am happy that you are here and that you are safe, but if it does come true then…" Sakura's words were barely audible, as she whispered, "…maybe you shouldn't have come."

 _Oh, Sakura…_ Syaoran smiled slightly, and shook his head. _You really don't know, do you?_ "Sakura, look at me," he ordered gently. She didn't respond. Syaoran tightly gripped Sakura's shoulders. "Sakura," he said more firmly. Sakura's eyes cut up to Syaoran. Now was time to bear open his soul to Sakura. Conviction straight from the heart substantiated Syaoran's words as he stated, "If I cared about what happened to me, would I have searched for you for three months, traveled to the past, and followed you to Kyoto now?"

"S-Syaoran-kun…" Sakura blushed darkly at Syaoran's words. Never had Syaoran's love for Sakura had been so obvious. Syaoran was afraid that his open devotion would frighten her, but Sakura didn't looked away from his gaze. "I… thank you… You mean so much to me."

Syaoran froze. _I do?!_ "Sakura…"

"I… I think I might lo-"

"Yes, it really is the Clow Book! Why I oughta… if that red head hadn't knocked him out, I woulda done it myself, true form or not!"

Sakura and Syaoran jumped at Kero's voice. They turned to see Kero flying over Aoshi's unconscious body. Kero pointed to Aoshi and called, "Sakura, kid, get over here!"

The moment was lost. Sakura gave Syaoran an embarrassed smile and glance before walking over to Kero. Sighing, Syaoran reluctantly trudged over to Aoshi. He had been dreaming of his reunion with Sakura ever since they had been separated and of course it had to have been ruined by Kero. _Still… the way Sakura looked at me… the words she said and almost said… is she starting to fall in…? No. I won't think that. It is for Sakura to decide. And I've already decided that I would wait for her. That's all there is to it._

"Syaoran-kun?"

Sakura's voice jarred Syaoran out of his thoughts. "Huh? I mean, I'm listening."

Sakura frowned but she didn't push the issue. She held the Clow Book in her arms as she explained, "Misao-san had mentioned to Kero-chan that they had been the ones guarding the Clow Book in this era."

Syaoran's eyebrows knotted in confusion. Crossing his arms, he addressed Kero, "What? You had to be told where the Clow Book is in Meiji? As the guardian you're the one who is in the Clow Book so wouldn't you know where it was?"

Kero sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, well ya know… Before all the crazy Bakumatsu, everything was so peaceful it was boring. So I went ta sleep for a long, long time… and slept through this entire time period. That's why I don't remember any Cardcaptor coming ta the past and collecting Clow Cards, or anything like that."

 _Wait a minute._ Syaoran held his chin as he thought, _Kerberos was sleeping this entire time? He doesn't remember anyone capturing Clow Cards in the Meiji? Then that means…_

"But none of that is important," dismissed Kero. "I think I just figured out realized something crucial. Misao-san also said that Aoshi disappeared for years but he reappeared at the Aoi-Ya eight months ago. If the onmitsu at the Aoi-Ya were guarding the Aoi-Ya and they didn't say anything about the Clow Book to us when we arrived there…"

Sakura and Syaoran gasped, the both of them coming to the same conclusion at the same time. They chorused, "You mean it was stolen?!"

Kero nodded. Lowering his head, he crossed his tiny arms as his tail swished nervously. "Yes. Now here's my theory. Aoshi had been training ta kill red head fer a long time. He runs into Shishio, who also is after Kenshin's life. But Shishio wants something even more than defeating the red head: more magic. The two strike a deal: Aoshi lets Shishio use da Clow Book fer a little bit and in turn Shishio gives Aoshi information about Kenshin and his location. Of course, since Shishio wants Kenshin dead, Shishio wins either way."

"Shishio?" Syaoran asked. "But why would he want the Clow Book…" Syaoran's voice trailed off as he saw all the color drain from Sakura's face. "Sakura, are you okay?" Syaoran cried, his hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Shishio, he…" Sakura's voice trembled. "He used the Clow Book to bring Kero-chan and I to this time."

Syaoran's eyes became as big as saucers. "No… that's impossible." Syaoran whipped his head to Kero. "Isn't it…?" He asked almost fearfully.

Kero was silent for a long time. Then he sighed. "I don't know. Ta be honest, even though I'm the sun guardian, there is still much about Clow Reed and his magic that I don't know. Could it be possible? Well, da Clow Book has the enormous power to preserve itself fer centuries while simultaneously shielding the Clow Cards' magic from detection. Considering all the evidence, if someone were ta tap into the Clow Book's magic and manipulate it…" Kero looked down at Aoshi. "…then I suppose anything is possible. Even… no. Never mind."

"Even going back to the present?" Syaoran finished, his facial features hardening.

Sakura gasped again. With each question she asked, Sakura fear became more hopeful. "What do you mean? Could that really be true? We can go back? Can we? Can we?"

Kero stared down at Syaoran, clearly very displeased at what Syaoran blurted. "Yes." He bit out. "Now that we learned how we came into the past, theoretically the same method should allow us to return there. But I don't know how we will be able to manipulate the magic of the Clow Book to bring us to the future. Right now there are more important things to think about now, like Shishio."

"No," Syaoran retorted, anger brimming under the surface. "Going home is the most important thing of all. Shishio is out to hurt Sakura to become the next Cardcaptor, right? Then the best way for her to be safe is if we go back to the present."

Kero's angry expression rivaled that of a rhino about to charge. "If Sakura as the Cardcaptor were to leave this era, then there would be no one strong enough to oppose Shishio. He will rule Japan. We cannot leave him alone and expect the future as we know it will remain the same."

"But Shishio will never complete his goal if Sakura isn't in even this time period!" Syaoran rejoined, throwing his arm out to the side.

"G-Guys…" Sakura glanced back and forth from Kero to Syaoran. "Please don't fight. The important thing is that we found a way to go home, right? There's nothing to argue about…"

Tension filled the air as the two stared at each other. After several long moments, Kero turned to Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko, and raised his voice. "Everyone, listen up. This is huge."

Syaoran bristled like a cactus, his fury boiling. _That stupid plush toy! Does he care about magic more than Sakura's safety?! She's his master for goodness' sake, not to mention friend!_

Syaoran didn't listen to Sakura as she explained Kero's reasoning for believing how the Clow Book could be used to transport them home and that Aoshi and that Shishio struck a deal to bring Sakura and Kero to Meiji in the first place. Instead, Syaoran studied their friends. Their expressions ranged from shock and suspicion to joy and to guilt.

Yahiko asked, "Really? A book can make people move through time? That's a little strange but if it works…"

At Sakura's proclamation, Kaoru clapped her hands and beamed. "Oh, Sakura-chan, Li-kun, that's great news! I'm so happy for you!"

However, Kenshin was the only despondent one. He lowered his head and refused to meet anyone's gazes. "So Aoshi gave Shishio the Clow Book because he wanted information about this one? Shishio used the Clow Book to bring you into the past? Then that means… your being here in this time is this one's fault, that it is."

Frowning in empathy, Sakura walked up to Kenshin until she stood directly under him. "But then we never would have met, nii-chan. I never would have known that I had an older brother that lived in the past." Sakura beamed, "And I'm so happy that I met you!"

Sakura's words brought a genuine, albeit sad, smile to Kenshin's face. He brushed Sakura's cheek with the back of his fingers. " _Aa_. Where would this one be without his adorable, daring little sister?"

Sakura giggled and blushed, grinning ear from ear. However, Syaoran could only stare at Kenshin in astonishment. _This is the first time I heard him call Sakura his sister…_ For some reason, the thought and the sight of Sakura so happy made Syaoran also smile. _Well, it's about time. I mean, how long have you kept Sakura waiting? You're really stupid, kidnapper._

However, Kenshin's joy was short lived. "Go home, huh? After this one, we just…" Kenshin sighed. "That's good for you, Sakura-chan. It is what this one has wanted from the beginning, that he has..." Despite his claim, even a child could hear Kenshin's reluctance and sadness.

"Hey…" Sakura brought her hand up to Kenshin's and squeezed it. "I don't want to home yet either. I want to be with you and everyone else. Besides, there's Shishio left, too."

Syaoran gasped. "W-What?! Sakura, I know you don't want to leave but we have to go back-"

Sakura turned to face Syaoran, determination in her stance. "Like Kero-chan said, we can't just leave now. I have to face Shishio with Ken-nii."

"But Sakura…" Syaoran exhaled. Though he was very concerned about Sakura's safety, he recognized the logic behind her and Kero's words. _Still… I don't like you thinking that you have to fight this Shishio guy by yourself… there's other people here to support you._ Lowering his head and slumping his shoulders, Syaoran acquiesced, "Fine. Just…" _Just what? Be careful?_ Syaoran grit his teeth and clenched his fists. _No… this time, I'll protect her. I swear it!_ Glancing down at his clenched fists, Syaoran realized he didn't feel any of his magic. The revelation hit him hard. _Or… can I?_

Sakura cocked her head to the side, confused, but she didn't question Syaoran when he didn't finish. Kero stared at Syaoran for a while before turning away. Kaoru meanwhile was watching Kenshin, who stared off into the distance.

A silence permeated the air until Yahiko broke it. "Well, should we set up camp or something?"

"Ah, no," Kenshin said with a shake of his head, turning to Yahiko. "We need to go back to _Shishō_ 's cabin. It's about a twenty minute walk from here."

"Tch," Yahiko looked down at Aoshi's unconscious form with disgust. "And I guess we'll be bringing him along with us?"

"Yes, of course, Yahiko," Kaoru chided, putting her hands on her hips. "We're not leaving him here to die. Kamiya Kasshin-ryū forbids it."

"Oh right!" Sakura cried, her hand covering her mouth. "I completely forgot!" She dashed to Aoshi's side and held her wand out in front of her. "Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Card!" Summoned by Sakura's magic, a Clow Card materialized by the end of her wand. Sakura took it, wrote her name on it, and showed the card to everyone. "SHADOW" was written on the bottom. Sakura smiled. "That's another one," she chirped.

"Ah!" Syaoran exclaimed. "Don't forget about Watery."

"Oh, yes! That's right!" Sakura repeated the chant and a Watery Clow Card appeared. It flew to Syaoran, who wrote his name on it. Sakura smiled, "Sorry, that's _two_ cards."

After Sakura sealed the cards, Syaoran called upon the Wood card to create a wooden board to use as a stretcher of sorts for Aoshi. Everyone helped to carry Aoshi's weight as they slowly made their way to Hiko's cabin in the darkness of the night. Once they finally reached the small wooden building, they set Aoshi down on Kenshin's old futon. As Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sakura worked quietly on tending and bandaging Aoshi's wounds, Kenshin went immediately to his master's side. Kero flew over to Kenshin and reassured Kenshin that Hiko would live to another day; Kero's magic told Kero so.

"Still…" Kenshin frowned to himself while he laid his hand on his sleeping master's forehead. "He feels a little warm." Standing up, Kenshin said, "We need more water. This one is going to the stream to get some."

Kaoru glared up at Kenshin as he walked past her, heading towards the exit. "Without someone treating your wounds? You're still bleeding." Sakura, too, looked over at Kenshin with concern.

Kenshin slowed momentarily before leaving like Kaoru hadn't spoken up in the first place. All eyes turned to Kaoru. She bit her lip as she returned her gaze back to Aoshi. Though she tried to shield her emotions, everyone could sense Kaoru's hurt and shame.

Offering empathy to the one who once offered empathy on him, Syaoran comforted, "It's all right, Kaoru-san. I'll watch over him." Syaoran nodded at Kaoru's and Sakura's smiles.

Ducking out of the cabin, Syaoran hurried after Kenshin. He fell into step behind Kenshin. Kenshin paused and then sighed when Syaoran reached him, knowing that he couldn't turn the boy away. As they walked forward the only sound that could be heard was the crickets and the soft crunching of grass underneath their weary feet. Once a few minutes had passed Syaoran broke the near silence. "So did your master really have a fever or could you not face Kaoru-san?"

That made Kenshin stop in his tracks. His fists clenched for a moment before he resumed his trek without acknowledging Syaoran's question. _I know I should take it easy on him, but… we've come so far to get to here. Kaoru-san suffered so much after he left. He can't just walk away from her like she doesn't matter. And if he doesn't realize that, then I'll help him._ However, Syaoran couldn't think of a way to broach the subject so they continued until the rushing water of the stream greeted them. As he approached, Syaoran stumbled a bit.

"Sit," Kenshin ordered. Though it was a command with no room for argument, Kenshin's tone of voice was soft. A bit surprised, Syaoran didn't complain as he sat on a small stone by the water. Kenshin stooped down to the water bed and filled two buckets with water. He placed the buckets on the ground before sitting down himself, facing Syaoran. Releasing an exhale, Kenshin craned his head back to look at the stars. Again the two were quiet.

Dangling his legs, Syaoran prodded, "Hey, kidnapper?" Ten seconds passed without either of them speaking. "Fine then, I'll just talk." Syaoran lifted his head to the sky. "Since you left, I've been doing a lot of thinking. You told me before you went to Kyoto that if I wanted to protect Sakura, I had to grow stronger. And then because you wanted to protect Kaoru-san, you left her behind and went to Kyoto, maybe becoming Battōsai again." Syaoran stared at Kenshin as he asked, "What I want to know is… was that the right thing to do? Did leaving Tokyo make you stronger? Because I don't know.

"The way I see it," Syaoran continued, "…is that you're still selfish. Leaving everyone to worry about you was selfish. And yet… you left because you wanted to save Japan so that wasn't selfish. Your selfishness comes from your selflessness. …You need to work on that."

To Syaoran's surprise, Kenshin actually laughed. "Is it too difficult for you to come up with a solution on your own, Li-kun?"

Syaoran sputtered, "Uh, well, you know… uh…"

"You're right."

 _What?!_ Syaoran gasped. Syaoran looked up sharply at Kenshin to see that he was serious.

"This is one is selfish, that he is. This one sees that now. Helping others by sacrificing himself when there are others worried about him… is selfish. Keeping them at an arm's length because he is scared of them discovering the real him… is wrong." Tilting his head to the side, Kenshin smirked slightly. "You were the only one who saw that. From the very beginning you didn't believe that the rurouni persona this one clung to was the real person. That hiding who this one really was when Sakura-chan cared about him was selfish."

Kenshin looked out to the field beside the stream. "In truth, this one had been running from himself… afraid that still deep down that the hitokiri still lived. This one was playing at the idea that redemption could come from sacrificing his life. For the past ten years, this one claimed that he wouldn't take another life when all this time, he had been slowly killing himself." Syaoran sensed the sadness welling up in Kenshin as he breathed, "Yes… it is selfish. And stupid. Very stupid. So, so very stupid."

Kenshin's speech made Syaoran appalled. _Killing… himself? And look how much he is beating himself up because of me._ Syaoran adamantly shook his head. "Look, back then I said you were selfish because I was a being a pain. Because I didn't like the idea of you being Sakura's older brother, I only saw the bad things in you and not the good." Kenshin faintly smiled at Syaoran. Encouraged, Syaoran continued, "And what about all those things you said when you fought Aoshi? Something about you being a lot more than hitokiri Battōsai…"

Kenshin smiled at Syaoran. "Indeed. This one's _Shishō_ taught him the strength of the will to live. That this one's life matters. But to be honest…" Kenshin lowered his eyes.

Thinking about how Kenshin had called himself stupid, Syaoran finished, "…you still don't like yourself."

A faint, tired smile appeared on Kenshin's face. "No one can change overnight…"

"No…" Syaoran echoed, feeling Kenshin's despair. "No, they can't."

Kenshin pursed his lips and looked at the ground. The hand resting in his lap balled into a fist with such intensity that his entire hand shook. Syaoran reached over and covered Kenshin's hand with his own, stilling the tremors. Kenshin stared at Syaoran in surprise.

"That's why," Syaoran grinned, "I'll be keeping my eye on you. Whenever you do or say something stupid, I'll let you know by calling you stupid kidnapper so that you can stop it. That way you can be a better older brother to Sakura, a better mentor to me and Yahiko, and what was it? Ah, yes. A 'protector' of Kaoru-san," Syaoran smirked.

Tears moistened Kenshin's eyes as he smiled the biggest smile Syaoran had ever seen. He placed his hand on Syaoran's head and stroked it with his thumb. His voice hitched slightly as he whispered, "This one is counting on you, that he is."

 _He's… counting on me?_ No one in his life had told Syaoran that they were counting on him. Surely, Sakura and Kero depended on him but they had never voiced the sentiment aloud. And certainly no one in his family had lavished such attention on him, or openly appreciated him like Kenshin was now. Happiness lit up Syaoran from the inside and he couldn't help but smile in return.

"I won't let you down."

* * *

Shortly after the sun had risen on a new day, Syaoran found himself sitting outside the cabin with Sakura, Kero, and Yahiko. With Hiko still unconscious, the tension in the air inside the building was quite stuffy. So as soon as they finished the breakfast Syaoran helped to make (Kenshin was recovering from his injuries), the foursome went outside by a silent agreement. Kaoru and Kenshin remained inside, keeping a vigil over the swords master.

After throwing a sidelong glance to Yahiko, who was practicing with his shinai, Sakura sat down besides Syaoran. "Hey," She greeted. Syaoran smiled at her. "Where is Sanosuke-san?"

"He didn't travel to Kyoto by boat. He went on foot. Hopefully he'll get to Kyoto soon." _Unless,_ Syaoran added mentally. _He runs into trouble like we did with Watery._

Sakura nodded her understanding. Then she asked, "You and Ken-nii were gone for a long time when you went to get water last night. And then you and Kero-chan went outside when everyone was asleep. What happened?"

Following their conversation by the riverside, Kenshin and Syaoran returned to the cabin, Syaoran carrying the heavy water buckets for Kenshin. After much pleading and coaxing from everyone Kenshin stopped his ministrations over his master and allowed Kaoru to treat his wounds. Once she finished, Kenshin sat by his master, refusing to get some desperately needed sleep. Only after did Kero threaten Kenshin to use some herbs from the forest that contained a sleeping agent on him did Kenshin agree to sleep. As everyone else drifted off to dream land, Syaoran had laid wide awake. Restless, Syaoran headed outside into the night. He jumped when he heard a voice from behind him.

"Worried about that magic seal that Aoshi put on ya?"

Whirling around, Syaoran saw Kero flying some distance behind him. Syaoran stated, "If you knew how to undo the seal yourself or with the Clow Book, you would have told me already."

Kero hung his head and sighed. After a moment he flew by Syaoran's side and looked up to the sky. "Yer right. I would have. Sealing magic is complicated stuff, ya know. Sealing magic is meant to act like a shield, blocking magic from outside detection from other magicians. But it can also be used as a magical suppressor, making it difficult to use the magic of whatever has been sealed. In yer case, it's the latter scenario. The only way ya can overcome the magic of Aoshi's curse is to overpower it, to make yer magic stronger than the magic that is suppressing yer own. Fortunately, or unfortunately however ya view it, since Shishio used the Clow Book to bring Sakura and I to this time period, the magic of the Clow Book is at an all-time low. If I were to use the magic from the Clow Book to overcome yer curse, I fear that I will break the seal on the Clow Cards within it. But the good news is-"

"Wait, hold on," Syaoran interrupted, raising his hands. "So the Clow Cards that Sakura has been capturing are from our time in the present and not the Clow Cards of Meiji."

Again Kero paused. "Yes," he whispered.

Syaoran frowned as he puzzled over this new piece of information. _But the Clow Cards from our time were changed into Sakura Cards… so why are they Clow Cards now? What changed them back? Why can't Sakura change them into Sakura Cards? Her wand was changed too…_

"I suppose ya won't tell me what caused you to travel back in time?"

Syaoran crossed his arms. "I'll tell you when you tell us how to use the Clow Book to go back home."

Kero dipped his head. "Fair enough. But like I said earlier, now isn't the time. Even if we decided ta go home instead of chasing Shishio, figuring out how ta use da Clow Book to get us back to the future would take time. With Shishio after us, that is time we don't have.

"But anyways, as I was saying. The good thing is that while the magic of the Clow Book being so weak that I can't use the book to break the spell, it means that the Clow Book's magic was weak when Aoshi placed the seal on you. That makes it easier for you yourself to break it."

"What?" Syaoran exclaimed, baffled. "You just said that with the seal I can't use my magic. So how can I train my magic to make it stronger than the sealing magic on me and break the curse? I can just barely summon my sword and change my clothes to the magical combat outfit as it is!"

"Tell me what magic is."

Rattling off the textbook definition his mother had taught him, Syaoran immediately answered, "Magic is the use of the body, mind, and soul to manipulate the elements of the environment to produce effects that do not naturally occur in nature."

"Of course, ya understand what that means," Kero said. Syaoran nodded. "What if I told ya that it is possible to use magic to manipulate the elements within yourself to create effects only within your body and not the outside world?"

Syaoran gaped at Kero. "Is that possible?" He whispered.

"It is," Kero nodded. He crossed his arms and his tail flicked like it did when he was nervous. "However it is a level of magic that is so technical that even Sakura knows nothing about it. It is extremely difficult. Essentially, your goal is to manipulate the elements within your body by using the power of your soul to overcome the curse placing on you. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't even be telling ya about this kind of magic under ya were several years older. It is one of the most difficult magics out there, but if there is a willing and strong soul it can be done at any age."

Syaoran shook his head venomously. He clenched his fists and held them out in front of him. "No, I can't wait that long. Shishio is after Sakura right now. I can't… I won't fail in protecting Sakura again!"

Kero paused, staring deep into Syaoran's eyes. After a moment, Kero closed his own eyes. Under his breath, Kero muttered, "Maybe you really are the best for Sakura. But still, you have yet to realize that you can't always be there for Sakura."

Missing what Kero said, Syaoran asked, "What was that?"

Instead of answering, Kero straightened and pointed to the air. "Well then!" Kero cried, "Let's get started, shall we?"

"On what?"

"On yer magical training of manipulation of the bodily magical elements!" Kero cheered, "Fer the future!"

Syaoran blinked. Then he grinned, determination rushing through him. "Yes. For the future."

As Syaoran sat beside Sakura, he couldn't meet Sakura's eyes. Instead he looked down at his hand as he made a fist. _Last night I went out to practice my magic to overcome the curse Aoshi placed on me. But even after a night's worth of training I couldn't do anything with my magic sealed… if I can't become a stronger magician and break the seal Aoshi placed on me, then I won't be able to use any magic. I'll be useless in the fight against Shishio and I won't be able to protect Sakura. If it comes to that… can I trust the kidnapper to protect Sakura? Can I protect Sakura if she isn't even by my side?_

"Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran shook his head to remove his doubts. "I'm fine, Sakura." Answering her question, Syaoran said, "The kidnapper and I took a long time at the stream because we were talking, that's all."

"I see…" Sakura turned away from Syaoran. Her eyes darting back to Syaoran she asked hopefully, "Like my father always says, did you work out your differences?"

Syaoran smirked, amused. "Something like that." Without looking, Syaoran knew that a big smile appeared on Sakura's face. He could feel her happiness at Syaoran's acceptance of her older brother.

"That's good. In da upcoming fight we must all work together to defeat the disaster that is befalling da land."

Syaoran and Sakura looked up to see Kero flying over their heads. Syaoran jutted his head in the air and huffed, "Well, he's still a stupid kidnapper." Despite his growing respect for Kenshin, Syaoran still felt the lingering strands of animosity and bitterness towards Kenshin, making Syaoran reluctant to drop his façade of his dislike for the red head.

"Hey, guys." Yahiko waved at the trio as he walked towards them. "Wanna practice together?"

"Practice?" blinked Sakura.

"Yeah, you know." Yahiko put his hands on his hips as he stood in front of them. "That thing you and I did a long time ago. We should do it. I think it's a good exercise for kendo training."

"I'm sorry…" Sakura's voice faltered. "But I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you remember? You had your wand and you twirled it in the air and did some magic chants or something. It had a name…" Yahiko cocked his head to the side, frowning as he crossed his arms. "It was… cheer? Yeah, cheer something."

"You mean cheerleading?!" Syaoran and Kero chorused at the same time, their confusion turning into bafflement.

Yahiko grinned. He snapped his fingers at Syaoran and Kero and cried, "Yeah, that's it! Come on, let's do it, guys! It'll be great!" At the same time, Syaoran and Kero burst out into uproarious laughter. "Hey, what the matter?" Yahiko asked, confused. When he turned to Sakura, she refused to meet Yahiko's gaze.

Syaoran's face turned red and tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes. Needless to say Syaoran was too busy laughing at Yahiko to bother answering his question.

"Hey!" Yahiko exclaimed, growing upset. "What's so funny?!" When still when no one answered him, Yahiko shook Syaoran's shoulder. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

Batting Yahiko's hand away, Syaoran stood up and said into Yahiko's face, "Because cheerleading is for girls, stupid!"

At Syaoran's declaration, Yahiko's face blanched. Then it turned as red as a tomato. Balling his hands up, Yahiko growled, "Are you calling me a girl?"

Syaoran shrugged, "Well you're the one who said it was good training…"

"Why you-!" Yahiko snarled. He swung his shinai at Syaoran.

Startled only for a moment, Syaoran summoned his sword and blocked the strike. His own anger flaring, Syaoran hissed, "Did you just try to hit me?"

"That's right, stupid!"

"Girl!"

Spurred on by their anger, they both of them were sent into a tizzy, slinging names and swings of their weapons at each other. Exasperated, Sakura held out her hands in a placating gesture much like Kenshin would. " _Maa_ , _maa_ … Guys, don't fight…"

Kero, however, was having the time of his life. He hooted, "What's next? Dressing up like a girl and having female role in plays?"

Growing, both Syaoran and Yahiko shouted, "Shut up!"

"I'll wipe that smug grin off your face!"

"Bring it, shorty!"

Sakura frowned, knowing that it was just short of impossible of them stopping now. Seeing Sakura's expression, Kero grinned, "Hey, think of it this way, at least they're getting good exercise."

Sakura sighed.

* * *

Suddenly nervous, Kaoru risked a glance at Kenshin. He was sitting beside her with an impassive, almost empty expression on his face as he gazed upon the sleeping form of his master laid before him. Kaoru looked down at the red seeping through Kenshin's dirty hakama. _Does he not realize that by sitting like that for so long he's reopened an injury on his leg?_ Kaoru saddened as a metaphorical thought struck her. _Kenshin, are you so used to feeling pain in your life that you don't notice when you bleed?_

When Kenshin still didn't move, Kaoru stood up and retrieved some more bandages and ointment. Kenshin didn't even look up at her. After she finished gathering the supplies, Kaoru sat back down, this time facing Kenshin. She paused. She took a deep breath. "K-Kenshin… your leg… it's bleeding. Let me look at it." _Gods, can't I even speak in his presence after what I've done?_

After a moment, Kenshin looked down at his leg. A barely audible sigh escaped his lips. Shifting his position, Kenshin brought out his legs from underneath him and lying them before him. Kaoru bent over to examine his right leg when Kenshin held out a hand to stop her.

"Thank you, but let this one."

"No," Kaoru said firmly. She pulled up Kenshin's hakama pleat up to a little past his knee to reveal the cut. "You are far more injured than I. Let me do this for you." Kenshin remained silent. Silence filled the cabin as Kaoru mopped the blood away and cleaned the wound.

In a voice as soft as the falling snow, Kenshin breathed, "Because of Sakura-chan's Clow Card fortune, this one thought… this one thought he would never see you again, Kaoru-dono." Surprised, Kaoru looked up at Kenshin, but his eyes were watching Kaoru treat his leg. Kenshin's features grew troubled as he said, "…This one didn't know if he should have been..."

… _Been what?_ Kaoru wondered. After thinking about it for a moment, Kaoru deduced what he was going to say. _He didn't know if never seeing me again meant that he should have been happy or not. Happy that I would be safe from Shishio or upset because… he wanted to see me again…_ Despite herself, a small smile appeared on Kaoru's face. "I was afraid of never seeing you again, too."

His eyes widening, Kenshin asked, "Really?"

Her happiness morphed into anger in an instant. "Who do you think I am? Some heartless monster? I couldn't live without-!" _I couldn't live without you._ Kaoru gasped as she realized what she was about to say. She broke eye contact with Kenshin, blushing furiously. Kenshin, too, lowered his gaze quickly. An awkward silence hung in the air.

Kaoru's hands shook slightly as she applied some ointment on Kenshin's wounded leg. But after hearing that Kenshin wanted to see her again, to be with her, a question formed in her mind. A question that had to be answered. She had to know. Kaoru swallowed, her hands growing sweaty. After summoning a bit of courage, Kaoru murmured, "When I asked you if you were angry with me for following to Kyoto against your wishes, you said that half of you was angry. I understand why you're angry, but that's not what I'm asking…"

In a surprisingly gentle voice, Kenshin inquired, "Then what are you asking?"

Kaoru bit her lip, fighting against the butterflies in her stomach. "…I want to know if… if your anger with me will prevent our… our…" Kaoru fumbled, unsure of her words. _Our what? Friendship? That's a joke. The more I'm with him, the more I'm feeling something more… and Kenshin seems to feel the same. Or is that the truth? Even if he did, I may just ruined our chance._ The memory of Kenshin letting go Kaoru's ribbon before he left came to mind. _That's why I have to ask._ Her hands retreated from their work and settled in her lap. They gripped her hakama pleats tightly as Kaoru pleaded, "I know you'll probably still be angry with me for a long time, but please, tell me. Is there some way I can make it up to you? Some way you can forgive me?"

"Kaoru-dono…" The softness in Kenshin's voice caused Kaoru to look up at him. A gentle, but sad, smile was on his face. "Who is this one to withhold forgiveness?"

Slowly a smile grew on Kaoru's face.

"Besides…" Kenshin continued, averting his eyes from Kaoru. "Because this one was hitokiri Battōsai, he is the reason why we were in that situation in the first place. If there is anyone in need of forgiveness, it is this one."

"Kenshin _no baka_ ," Kaoru chided gently, shaking her head. "While I'm still upset with you for leaving Tokyo, I've already forgiven you for being hitokiri Battōsai the moment you stepped into my dojo and saved my life. All that's left… is to move on and leave your past behind."

Kenshin smiled at Kaoru, but it seemed to pain him. "Perhaps. But h-?" Kenshin broke his words off with a shake of his head. "That is for this one alone-No, never mind."

 _He's cutting himself off from me again._ Kaoru thought with a frown. _But I don't blame him. I mean, getting over his bloody past isn't as easy as I'm making it out to be. So how…?_ Closing her eyes, Kaoru analyzed the big picture. _Part of the reason Kenshin didn't want to go to Kyoto was because he was afraid he was of becoming hitokiri Battōsai again. When Kenshin told me goodbye, he called himself a rurouni. A rurouni is better than Battōsai, but will he really move on from his past and begin to live by wandering? He needs to be something else… not Battōsai, not rurouni, but what?_

When Kaoru said nothing, Kenshin finished rewrapping his wound with his bandage. "Forget that this one said anything." The pain and loneliness Kaoru witnessed in the depth of his violet eyes cut Kaoru to the quick. Kenshin began to rise, about to effectually end the conversation.

"No." Kaoru's hand shot out and grabbed Kenshin's wrist tightly. Kenshin stared down at Kaoru in shock. Kaoru stared right back at him. "I don't know how you can let go of your past and move on, but I want to help you however possible. That's the entire reason why I want to grow stronger, why I came here, why I wanted to see you so badly."

Kenshin was floored. He gaped at her. "Wh… Why? Why do you care about this one so much?"

Kaoru's heart hammered against her chest, her cheeks aflame. She wet her lips with a sweep of her tongue before murmuring, "Because… Because I…"

"Well, well, well. Looks like I was right. It was a lover's quarrel after all."

Kaoru and Kenshin jumped out of their skin, absolutely terrified. A turn of their heads to the side revealed Hiko sitting up in his futon with the smuggest smirk on his face. "And while you may appreciate kissing and making up and making out with your lover, I'd rather vomit. Take it off my mountain, _baka deshi_ , before I kick you off."

Kenshin's face became as red as his hair. "O-Oro!"

 _Oh my gods was he listening to all that?!_ Kaoru wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"Of course…" Hiko crossed his arms and lowered his head as though in deep thought. His voice became serious. "…considering that you told me you were so easily influenced by your emotions that you had a child outside of marriage with that woman there, I suppose it's only natural that you would engage in such activity without regard of the consequences."

Kenshin stared at Hiko in abject horror. Only noises squeaked past his throat.

Blinking very slowly, Kaoru tried to digest this very interesting piece of information. She turned her head to Kenshin, genuinely curious. "What did he just say?" she asked, her tone of voice deadly calm.

Sweat poured down Kenshin's face. He laughed sheepishly. Raising his hands he mollified, " _Maa_... it's just a big misunderstanding, that it is. There's a reason, this one assures you-"

Like boiling hot lava bursting from a volcano, Kaoru snapped. Her fist smashed into Kenshin's face, sending him slamming into the wall. She screamed, "You damn well better be a reason, you pervert! Because it seems to me that you spent all your time here entertaining yourself by making up deluded fantasies that would only ever be fulfilled in your head, you disgusting pig! The audacity blows my mind!" Kaoru grabbed the front of Kenshin's gi, pulled him up towards her face, and shook him. "I will most certainly NOT be forgiving you of this. Do you hear me? Never!"

"T-This one can explain! Please!"

Kaoru released an exhale between her lips in a vain attempt to calm herself down. She jabbed her finger in his chest with every word she spoke. "Two. Seconds. _Explain_ ," growled Kaoru.

"Kero!" Kenshin cried desperately. "It was Kero! This one didn't say anythi-"

"That monster! I should have known," Kaoru whispered to herself. She dropped Kenshin to the ground with a crash, utterly heedless of Kenshin's injuries. Whirling to the entrance, Kaoru shouted at the top of her lungs, " _HOTARU_! I'm coming for you!" Kaoru ran out the cabin, guns blazing.

Behind her, Hiko burst out laughing so hard he struggled to breathe. Despite his laughter, Kenshin shouted, " _Shishō_! That was completely uncalled for."

"You…" Hiko wheezed, "…were more terrified of her… than of me. I thought you were going to crap yourself. I can't believe… Don't let her go. She's the best kind of woman for the ginormous idiot you are."

" _Shishō_ …" Kenshin muttered, miserable.

When Kaoru entered the outside world, she found Syaoran and Yahiko at each other's throats with their shinai, Sakura trying to push herself in between the dueling pair. Kero flew above their heads, laughing so hard he was rubbing his eyes. However, upon seeing Kaoru, they all stared at her in shock.

Kaoru stamped her feet as she marched over to Kero. "Mangy pest…"

"Hm? What do you peoples think I did now?" blinked Kero. He studied Kaoru's angry expression, her heavy breathing, and the balled shaking fists by her side. Then he grinned. "Ya mean me telling Sakura ta say that she's yer and Kenshin's daughter? Aw, come on. Where's yer sense of fun? Just a harmless joke, is all."

"I'LL SHOW YOU HARMLESS WHEN I WRING YOUR SORRY NECK!"

Screaming in fear, Kero backpedaled before turned around and fleeing for his life. Yahiko blinked and found his shinai gone from his hands, taken by Kaoru who was swinging it and shouting like a banshee as she dashed after Kero. She ignored the pleading cries of Syaoran, Yahiko, and Sakura as they chased her.

Here Kaoru was chasing done Kero for another prank, Yahiko and Syaoran had been bickering over some small and inconsequential detail again, Sakura trying and failing to be mediator like normal, and Kenshin being the clueless idiot he always was. But underneath the fury, fear, annoyance, frustration, and embarrassment, no one could deny the swell of happiness within them.

Team Kenshin was finally reunited.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Aa-An informal yes

Baka deshi-Idiot apprentice, stupid pupil, etc.

Futon-Japanese mattress that is put on the floor and used as a bed.

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. Hakama have ties at the waist that are tied and act like a modern belt. To the sides there are large triangle shaped holes that show the gi underneath.

Hotaru-Firefly; Kenshin calls Kero this when Kero annoys Kenshin. It's intended as an insult, but Kero doesn't really care all that much.

Kenshin no baka-Kenshin, you're an idiot; Kenshin, you idiot, etc.

Maa, maa-Now, now; used to calm people down (In Kenshin's case usually unsuccessfully :) )

Onmitsu-Ninja; see Shinobi

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Shishō-Master; the manga stated that it is used in specific situations when a student addresses their swords master (and implies the sword style of study in question is made up of only one student and master), but today it is used more broadly.

Watery-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Watery is aggressive water female spirit that can control water.

* * *

Yeah, I apologize for the horrible ending there. The problem is that I am considering removing or cutting a big chunk of the goodbye scene between Hiko and everyone at the beginning of the next chapter. If I can shorten it a lot, then maybe I can put a scene from the beginning of the next chapter after that, but I'm not sure if that's best or not… so yeah, this is the result.

And guess what is coming up! No, I'm not talking about Halloween, but midterms. I have upcoming midterms to study for so unfortunately, **next chapter will be posted two weeks from now**. Still, I hope you stick with me!

Hello, Halley Vanaria! I'm sorry if it was a bit confusing. If I had more time I would have gone over it more… but maybe I can clarify some things for you. The most confusing thing was Aoshi and Kenshin using their secret techniques at the end of the fight, right? What happened was Aoshi used the Shadow Card to "teleport" so he could attack Kenshin from the front, back, and the sides. Kenshin used the first six attacks of the Kuzuryūsen to block the six strikes from Aoshi's Six Successive Strikes technique. Then Kenshin attacked with the last remaining three attacks of the Kuzuryūsen and then unleashed the battōjutsu Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū secret afterwards. Does that make a bit more sense? Maybe I'll go back and fix it… Thanks for reviewing despite me confusing you!

Next Chapter: After saying goodbye to Hiko and leaving the mountain, everyone returns to the Aoi-Ya, where two reunions with old friends occur. Meanwhile Sano makes his grand reappearance!


	22. A New Okashira!

And the hilarity of the last chapter continues before it descends into the secrets a certain individual has kept for a long time… Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Saying that someone like me owned a manga/anime is like saying that they own a unicorn.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

A New Okashira!

Using his expert flying skills, Kero maneuvered out of Kaoru's reach and into Sakura's arms. "Sakura, help me!" he squeaked.

"U-Um…" Sakura stammered. She looked up to see Kaoru standing above her, hands on her hips.

"Let go of him," Kaoru demanded.

However, Sakura didn't understand why Kaoru was so upset, especially when Kero had initially convinced Sakura that the idea would make Kenshin happy. Sakura protectively wrapped her arms around Kero. "Why?" she asked. "Kero-chan didn't do anything wrong."

At Sakura's words, Kaoru's face flushed deeply. "Someone needs to teach that thing to mind his own business." When Sakura took a step back, Kaoru thrust her hand out towards Sakura. "Give him to me, now."

Wiggling out of Sakura's grasp, Kero escaped to within Sakura's hat. From there he whispered something else she should say. Sakura thought about it for a moment, trying to decide if saying it was really the best action to perform in this situation. Even though Kaoru was all but foaming at the mouth, Sakura still believed the deception would make them happier in the end.

Sakura smiled, "Yes, ma'am. Or should I say Mommy?"

"That's it!" Kaoru lunged at Sakura.

Crying out, Sakura turned around and ran back towards the cabin. Yahiko and Syaoran burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Just as Sakura reached the porch of the cabin, Kenshin stepped outside. "Nii-chan!"

Kenshin raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, it's 'nii-chan' now is it?"

Sakura gulped. He didn't seem to mind too much that Sakura had called him Daddy earlier, but with Kaoru and the others here… Kenshin grabbed her by the back of her kimono and yanked her to his side. Removing his hand from her kimono, he clamped his hand on top of Sakura's head and squeezed. Kero made of noise of protest. Kenshin leaned in to Sakura's hat. He whispered something that made Kero become deathly silent.

Kaoru, Syaoran, and Yahiko caught up to Sakura and they slowed to a stop before the cabin. For some reason, when Kenshin and Kaoru locked gazes, they turned away immediately, their faces flaming red.

"Kenshin, you-" Everyone turned around to see Hiko enter the scene. He stared at Syaoran and Yahiko as he said in surprise, "Oh, wow. I didn't know that you had triplets."

"We did not!" Kenshin and Kaoru cried angrily.

Sakura and Syaoran drew away from each other and made faces. "Eww!"

Yahiko rolled his eyes. "Please. As if that ugly _busu_ could ever make a child as good looking as me." Kaoru wailed him upside the head.

"Yeah!" Syaoran declared. His cheeks still red, Syaoran closed his eyes, put his hands on his hips, and jutted his head in the air. "That stupid kidnapper and I aren't related at all!"

The look Hiko gave Kenshin was priceless. "What the hell? You _kidnapped_ one of your own children?!"

"O-Ororo!" Kenshin stammered. Kaoru cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention. Then she glared at Kenshin. "What?" He asked, confused. Kaoru jabbed at Hiko with her thumb. "Oh, ah yes." Turning to Hiko, Kenshin started, " _Shishō_ , These are this one's frie-"

Hiko helm up his hand. "I don't want to hear it. I know who all you people are." With a great sigh, Hiko rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Cripes, you're all too damn annoying and loud."

Sakura's eyes filled with tears. She bit her lip and looked up at Hiko. "I'm… what, Grampa?"

"Er…" Hiko stared down at Sakura, clearly unsure at how to deal with the situation. He pushed her towards Kenshin. "Here. You're her father. Do something."

"I never met her father," Kenshin ground out.

Hiko shook his head. "If only I could say the same thing." Kenshin crossed his arms.

Syaoran stepped forward and bowed slightly to Hiko. "Thank you for letting us stay."

Hiko turned his head to side, gesturing to the cabin behind him. "Take the unconscious Shishio henchman with ya." As far as Sakura could tell, Hiko had just awakened. No one would have had the chance to tell him about Aoshi's attack. Nevertheless, from the state of Kenshin's and Kaoru's wounds, Hiko must have realized what had transpired while he was asleep.

With nothing else left to say, everyone aside from Hiko went inside to obtain Aoshi, who was still unconscious on his wooden stretcher, and gathered their things. With everyone helping, they maneuvered Aoshi and the stretcher outside. As Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Syaoran stepped off the porch, Sakura let go of the stretcher to approach Hiko. Sadness overcame her as she looked up at him. She had known this moment was coming; there was still the threat of Shishio. That knowledge, however, did not make this parting easier for Sakura.

She bowed and echoed Syaoran's thanks. Rising from her bow, she tried to smile at him. "I never had a grandfather before. Even though I'll might… being going far away really soon, you'll always be my grandfather."

Hiko's eyes widened fractionally before a small, but tender smile appeared. He grabbed the top of Sakura's head and shook it back and forth in good sport. "You'll take care of that _baka deshi_ of mine, right?"

Sakura straightened her hat while Kero said something about motion sickness. She beamed, "Always!" Surprisingly, Hiko returned the smile.

Growing serious, Sakura said, "Before we go for good, we have something to tell you. So you got to be ready us to come back, okay?" _Magic, Syaoran-kun and I coming from the future, Ken-nii being my brother… everything. Just wait a little bit longer._

Hiko gave her a look of bafflement, but he didn't question her. "All right."

Tears slipping out of the corner of her eyes, Sakura jumped and hugged Hiko fiercely. "Goodbye, Grampa." She whispered into his clothes. Stunned, Hiko didn't react at all.

Sakura withdrew and walked over to the others to help them carry Aoshi. When Kenshin let go of his end of the stretcher, Sakura took his place. Kenshin turned to face Hiko straight on.

Hiko smirked. "Don't forget that no technique will make you a god. Regardless it is up to you to defeat Shishio. And if any harm comes to Sakura while you fight, I won't forgive you."

For a moment, Kenshin looked surprised. Then he bowed. "This one knows, _Shishō_."

"Fool!" Hiko cried. "From the moment you mastered Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, we ceased to being master and student! If you won't continue on the sword style by teaching it to another, then at least forget that you were ever a student of this place."

Sakura saw the sadness in Kenshin's eyes that mirrored her own. But to Sakura's surprise, his smile returned. With a hint of cockiness Kenshin replied, "But this one doesn't want to forget you, Daddy."

His lip curling, Hiko growled like a tiger. Spinning on his heel, Hiko strode inside. However his voice was uncharacteristically soft as he spoke over his shoulder. "I didn't teach you Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū so that you would suffer. Remember that." With those parting words, Hiko disappeared inside the cabin.

Exhaling, Kenshin closed his eyes. " _Shishō_... thank you for everything…"

Exiting the cabin, Hiko threw a pottery jug at Kenshin, nailing him in the face. "But I will make you suffer for calling something as stupid as you my son!"

Blood spurted out of Kenshin's nose. He collapsed.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried. She dropped Aoshi to the ground and ran towards Kenshin, holding his head in her lap. Sakura, Syaoran, and Yahiko looked down at him, concerned.

"Ororo…" He muttered, his eyes spinning.

"He'll be fine," Yahiko and Syaoran chorused with a roll their eyes.

* * *

To shield the sun's rays, Sakura placed her hand above her eyes. She grinned. Racing forward, she cried, "It's here!"

Laughing with happiness, Sakura continued, completely obvious to Kenshin's warning as usual. She stopped before a building in Kyoto. "Aoi-Ya." She read aloud to herself. She smiled. Without waiting for any of her companions still in the street behind her, she ran inside.

A woman standing behind the counter looked up. "Cardcaptor-sama?" She ran towards Sakura and crushed her to death in a bone breaking hug. "It's so good to see that you safe and sound! You don't have any idea how worried we all were when you disappeared!"

"Misao-san…" Sakura choked out. "…You're hurting me."

Gasping, Misao released her and bowed to her formally. "Sorry! But please," Misao straightened and looked Sakura in the eye as she said, "don't call me san. Misao is just fine."

Before Sakura could reply, Misao had already bounced to the next topic. "So where's Himura and-?"

Turning and gesturing behind him, Kero said, "And here's red head and the rest of the motley crew now."

At that moment, Kenshin, Kaoru, and the others burst through the door. Putting his fists on hips, Kenshin cried, "Sakura-chan! This one told you not to run off in the streets of Kyoto!"

Following Kenshin's statement, the Aoi-Ya was filled with noise and shouts as everyone competed to have the loudest greeting. Sakura was thrust into it as all of the former Oniwabanshū members asked her how she was, what had happened to her, was there anything they could do for her, were Kenshin and Kaoru attacked by Shishio…

"Tsubame!"

Sakura and Syaoran looked up to see Tsubame descending the stairs. She stopped midway to lean on the railing in Yahiko's direction. "Yahiko-kun?"

A huge grin appeared on Yahiko's face. "Tsubame, ever since I heard Kenshin had to go to Kyoto, I've been waiting for this moment. Waiting to see you. I m-"

"Tsubame-chan!" Sakura ran up the stairs and enveloped Tsubame in a big hug. "I've missed you!"

"Oh, it's so good to see you, Sakura-chan," Tsubame gushed. "I've missed you, too." Sakura was so wrapped up in her joy in reuniting with Tsubame, she completed missed the steamed expression on Yahiko's face.

Syaoran ascended the stairs after Sakura. He grinned at Tsubame and dipped his head. "Tsubame."

Tsubame smiled warmly at him. "I'm glad you are all safe. I heard everything from Misao-san. She said Yahiko mentioned me while you stayed here. She decided to find me and bring me here so I could see you all again. I'm so happy that-"

The noise of a shoji doors opening and a panicked gasped spilt the air. Everyone turned to see Misao with her hand covering her mouth, her eyes as big as saucers. All of the blood had drained from her face. In front of her a heavily bandaged man towered in the doorway. He remained silent in the face of the many hostile stares his presence generated. Instead of defending himself, he held out something towards Misao.

Her eyes glanced down at the object. She whispered, "You were the one who stole the Clow Book…" Misao stared at the man, her jaw clenching. "…Aoshi-sama?"

Again, Aoshi didn't speak. He only patiently offered Misao the Clow Book.

Misao withdrew her hand from her mouth and placed it by her side, where it became a shaking fist. Despite her obvious growing anger, Misao's voice was strangely calm. "I can't believe you. You might as well have smashed a statue of Buddha to pieces and burned the remains. You realize that?" Misao narrowed her eyes at Aoshi. "For centuries, it has been our duty to conceal the existence of magic from the public. Such responsibility is the greatest honor and privilege imaginable. _You_ told me that. But now you attacked the Cardcaptor and her friends for what? To kill a man who had not personally wronged you?" Tears welled up in her eyes. She hoarsely whispered, "Himura said that he would make you return if you were redeemable. But you have done nothing that disproves the demon I see before me."

Her eyes burning red, Misao snatched the Clow Book from Aoshi's hands. She hissed, "You are no longer the Okashira." Turning around, Misao left the room. After she left her voice still haunted them. "I am."

Silence followed her exit. Misao's onmitsu friends glanced between Aoshi and the back door Misao had disappeared through. Okina sighed, wearily. Biting her lip, Sakura studied Aoshi. He had shown no outward emotion during Misao's speech. But now… Sakura glimpsed a bit of the sadness that had so often witnessed in Kenshin's eyes.

A slam echoed throughout the area, causing everyone to jump. Another man entered the inn that sent waves of dread through Sakura. He took off his hat, revealing black hair and a skinny, almost gaunt, face.

Kenshin's eyes widened. "Saitō…"

"Battōsai. There's someone down at the station you need to meet."

* * *

Steeping the pads of his fingers together, Saitō resisted the urge to violently kill his junior officer.

"The mess isn't that bad… isn't it, Chief?" A subordinate officer under Saitō chuckled nervously.

Saitō was standing in his office at the main police headquarters in Kyoto. After meeting with Battōsai at the Aoi-Ya, he returned to his office to find that someone had broken in and turned the place upside down. The desk, tables, and chairs were broken and thrown aside. His neatly arranged books from the bookshelves, maps, and important papers were all over the place: the table, the floor, out the window… A break-in the office of the chief of police… his day couldn't be any worse than this.

After all, he had just learned some very valuable and disturbing news from one of Shishio's henchmen.

A couple of days ago, some employees of the Aoi-Ya arrived with the unconscious body of Chō. Chō, they had explained, was discovered in a forest outside of Kyoto by one of their associates, Misao. When Misao and Kenshin had questioned him, Chō mentioned Shishio and pointed the duo to Shishio's lair on Mt. Hiei. With the information they needed from him, Kenshin and Misao knocked Chō unconscious again, leaving him for the employees of the Aoi-Ya to find. Saitō didn't waste any time. He locked Chō away in the tightest security cell, waiting until the day Chō awoke. When Chō did awake, Saitō was right there, grinning down at him. After some integration, Chō had confessed some very pressing ideas-ideas about Shishio's plans.

Saitō had immediately left for the Aoi-Ya, hoping he would find Kenshin within. Judging by the angry and upset faces on everyone gathered inside the entrance, Saitō deduced something huge had just occurred. But now wasn't the time to consider such matters. Without fanfare or tact, Saitō declared that Kenshin needed to go with him to the station. Surprisingly, Kenshin seemed torn over what should have been a very easy decision.

"Saitō… this one…" Kenshin's voice trailed off, his eyes glancing behind him.

An older man stepped forward and placed a hand on Kenshin's shoulder. "Of course. But Himura-dono has recently engaged…" His eyes cut to the tall figure standing in front of Saitō. "…the enemy. His wounds need to be treated. After that, he'll follow you shortly."

Kenshin turned his head to the white haired man. He protested, "Okina-dono, but that would mean asking Misao-dono to use her abilities, that it will…"

"Do not underestimate her strength. Please, as the protector of the Cardcaptor, it is our duty to accommodate your every need."

Pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, Saitō thought sardonically, _So Battōsai found himself a posse of willing slaves. …Wish my junior officers were that subservient to me._

Interrupting the duo, Saitō grunted, "Fine. I'll be waiting for you at the station. Don't be late, Battōsai." With his message delivered, Saitō returned to the station, intending on waiting for Kenshin in his office. However, his newest and youngest subordinate officer came rushing towards him the moment Saitō entered the building.

"Chief! Urgent news!"

Saitō took a drag of his cigarette. Though he appeared calm, inwardly dread began to build. Was Shishio moving up his itinerary? Chō said that it wasn't going to occur immediately, but could he really be trusted? "What is it?" Saitō asked the officer.

"We just learned… uh…" The officer froze, his mouth partly open as though he suddenly realized what he was about to say wasn't good.

 _Wonderful,_ Saitō thought with sarcasm. _I just know I'm going to love whatever he has to say. But then again, maybe there will be someone I can kill after all of this._ When the man continued to make guttural noises, Saitō snapped, "Spit it out already!"

The officer jumped to attention. Saluting Saitō, he stammered, "W-W-Well, have evidence…" Saitō gave the man a death glare. In one giant breath the man blurted, "We have evidence to believe that someone broke into your office searching for something and your office is a complete disaster and no one has any idea who committed the deed, sir!"

"What?!" Saitō gnashed on his cigarette butt. "How does an office at the police station get ransacked and in a building full of police officers does no one have any clues?"

"That's what we would like to know, sir. I-I mean, we're working diligently to discover the identity of, locate, and arrest the culprit of this heinous deed!"

 _Considering how incompetent the lot of you are, I have a few leads as to how he escaped without notice._ Growling, Saitō stomped past the officer and headed towards his office. What greeted him was a giant mess. It was as though a tornado had ripped through the office.

The officer who had first informed Saitō of the break-in had followed Saitō to the chief's office. He examined the mess and stated, "You know now that I think about it… you sure you aren't just a disorganized person?" Saitō blinked at the officer's audacity. He slowly turned to the officer as the young man continued, "And well, for the knocked over desks and chairs, maybe you threw them aside in a fit of anger when yelling at an officer…" Seeing Saitō's dark expression, the man gulped. He resumed making guttural noises. "Uh, um, er…" Steeping the pads of his fingers together, Saitō resisted the urge to violently kill his junior officer. "I mean… the mess isn't that bad… isn't it, Chief?" The subordinate officer under Saitō chuckled nervously.

That was it. He was a dead man.

"Could this have been caused by Shishio?"

 _Finally!_ Saitō gripped. _Someone around here actually has more than two brain cells and respects me!_ Turning around to the source of the voice, Saitō smirk vanished.

It was Kenshin.

"Get out," Saitō snarled.

"Oro?"

"Not you, you idiot, you!" Saitō turned to his junior office and threw a hand out towards the door. "The next time I see your face in this building is the time I take your head and put it on a post for display out in the courtyard!" Screaming the officer ran away.

Sighing, Saitō entered his office and walked over to his broken desk. He picked up one of the papers off the floor and read it. Kenshin, still outside the doorway, watched the young officer leave. He remarked drily, "This isn't the Bakumatsu."

 _Well maybe it should be._ Saitō countered. _In war all the stupid and incompetent men can meet their death with at least some dignity instead of flopping around uselessly, utterly failing at making a meaningful contribution to society._

But now was not the time to dwell on such things. Without looking up, Saitō asked, "Where's the girl? I thought she was your shadow."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes at Saitō, his hands becoming fists. "Do you really take this one to be so stupid as to bring her here? The very heart of the place that houses officials wishing to hunt her down to use her as bait? This one thinks not, so don't play games, Saitō."

When Kenshin lapsed into a moody silence, Saitō examined him. All of his bandages were gone, puffy pink scars in their place. Despite emerging from a battle, Kenshin looked energized, not fatigued. More signs that pointed to something decidedly otherworldly.

Lighting a cigarette, Saitō asked, "Who did you encounter?"

Kenshin paused for a moment before answering. He walked into the office as he said, "Shinomori Aoshi-Okashira of the Oniwabanshū onmitsu. We determined Aoshi struck a deal with Shishio for information about this one so Aoshi could try to kill him. He was the tall bandaged man in the Aoi-Ya entrance when you came earlier."

Saitō digested this information. _Ninja…_ Saitō eyed the number of Kenshin's wounds with high regard. _Perhaps I have underestimated the rurouni's strength._ Then he shook his head. _And perhaps not. I'll be the judge when we finish our duel._

Walking over to Kenshin, Saitō explained, "Chō, one of Shishio's henchmen, has talked." Saitō stared straight into Kenshin's eyes, his piercing gaze trying to search Kenshin's soul. _Even if he still hasn't turned into Battōsai yet… does he have what it takes? Is he strong enough to face what's coming?_

Kenshin met Saitō's gaze with an even stare of his own. Though his expression betrayed nothing, his eyes burned with a fervor. He knew the stakes. He knew the risks. He was here waiting to take the next step in defeating Shishio. For the sake of protecting his friends and Japan. _I don't see how protect others is a form of strength. And yet you've made it this far by believing in it… and will continue to rely on it no matter what the odds._ Regardless of the conclusion Saitō had drawn, he still hesitated to tell Kenshin the new information he acquired. _Battōsai, if you die before we finish our duel, I'll go to hell with you just to kill you there._ Though not completely reassured, Saitō turned back to Kenshin, his decision made.

Saitō lowered his head slightly, his bangs casting a sinister shadow on his face. He said slowly in a voice that was so deadly it could kill, "Shishio… plans to burn Kyoto to the ground."

Kenshin looked up sharply at Saitō. "That's been planned before."

Saitō leaned against a bookshelf behind him, his cigarette dangling in between his first two fingers. He turned his head and looked into the distance, becoming lost in the memory. "Yes, back in the Bakumatsu. The Ikeda-Ya incident." It was a wicked plan created by the Ishin Shishi to burn Kyoto, a plan that the Shinsengumi ended, by killing all those who supported the idea.

Kenshin crossed his arms, his brows crinkling in thought. "Such a grand scheme certainly seems in line with Shishio's personality, but why…? Why would Chō reveal such an important piece of information? Something isn't right…"

Grunting his agreeance, Saitō took a long drag of his cigarette. "Regardless of the suspicious circumstances, we cannot afford to take needless risks. Chō said it was to begin tomorrow at one minute to midnight." Saitō glanced up at his Western clock sitting on the wall. Currently, it was nearly one-thirty. Turning back to Kenshin, Saitō explained, "I'll begin immediately amassing all of the spare police force I can to patrol the city and initiate a curfew."

Kenshin nodded, determination and purpose lighting up his eyes. "Of course." Spinning on his heel, Kenshin ran towards the door. "This one shall rally the Oniwabanshū at once." Kenshin reached the door and opened it. With one foot out the door, Kenshin stopped. He turned to Saitō, a dark gleam in his eyes. "Saitō… we can't fail. This is Shishio's show of power, his first step in igniting a fiery revolution that could equal or surpass the amount of violence in the Bakumatsu. To ensure that no one will could ever come close to defeating him, he will use every resource available to him." Kenshin gripped the door frame with one hand until his knuckles grew white. "You know what that means _._ "

Saitō closed his eyes, resignation filling him. He whispered, "Then the police shall be like lambs to a slaughter."

Kenshin looked straight ahead. His voice was oddly laced with anger and regret as he stated, "No. There is still one person who may help. He has kept far too much information from us, far too many secrets."

Intrigued, Saitō asked, "Who is this person that can help fight against Shishio's magic? Is it…" Saitō eyes narrowed. "That yellow monster, Kerberos?"

His features becoming serious, Kenshin said, "Yes. Kero. There's so much we don't know…" He turned his head to the side, his eyes becoming distant. "This one doesn't know about the remaining Clow Cards, if the Clow Cards that Sakura-chan has been capturing are from this time or the future, why her wand is in its original state instead of the Star Wand, or the cards being Clow Cards instead of Sakura Cards… From the very beginning Kero has been very reluctant to tell this one anything about magic. Even…" Kenshin's voice dropped to a whisper. "Even at the risk of people's lives."

" _Sō ka?_ " Saitō chuckled. "Then the answer you so desperately want is simple." Saitō took the cigarette out of his mouth and lifted the hand almost casually to the side. "We'll squeeze the answers out of Kero or else I'll kill him."

Saitō ground the cigarette butt into the ash tray on his desk, violently snuffing out the fire's life.

Kenshin narrowed his eyes and snorted. Spinning on his heel, Kenshin flung himself out the door, gi and hakama flapping and fists clenched at his sides. From outside the sun's rays caught Kenshin's flying red hair, making it appear as though it was on fire. The low tremor of his voice resounded through the room as Kenshin declared,

"Not if this one gets to him first."

"Futae no Kiwami! Mastery of Two Layers!"

 _What the h-?!_

With a giant crash, the entire front wall by the door blasted and splintered into a thousand pieces, the shards and dust flying into the office. When the dust settled, the figure of a grinning fool appeared, the thug who was Kenshin's "friend".

"Hiya! Miss me?" Sano smiled and cracked his fingers.

Coughing, Kenshin took a step back, waving his hand in front of his face. "S-Sanosuke…? What are you doing?"

"Oh Kenshin! How ya doing?" Sano grinned. "I came all this way…" His goofy expression replaced with one of venomous anger, Sano slugged Kenshin's in the face. "…just to say that I'm ticked off that you left Tokyo without me, _bakayarō_!"

Kenshin reeled from the blow, before recovering. "Sano… _gomen ne_."

"Yeah, you better be sorry! I mean, I didn't come here and wreck this place looking for you and Saitō for nothing!" Sano took a moment to purview the disastrous office before him, before he nodded to himself, proud. "Yeah… I did one hell of a job, didn't I? I'm amazing."

With a "scwh!" Saitō drew out his blade. Setting his sights on Sano, Saitō crouched into a Gatotsu position. _Well, what do you know? Maybe today will turn out to be a good day after all._

* * *

Sakura dangled her short legs off the engawa surrounding the Aoi-Ya, happy to be safe and sound with the sun shining down on her. As he had done so often at the dojo, Kero was flying around the inn, cheerfully causing everyone mischief. At the sound of footsteps behind her, Sakura turned her head to see Syaoran. Sakura smiled warmly at him as he sat down next to her. Syaoran smiled in return, making her heart do a strange flip inside her chest.

Trying to hide her blushing cheeks, Sakura gazed up at the nearly cloudless sky. "How is Misao-san? Is she all right? Or is she still upset…?"

Syaoran sighed, his eyes watching the inn. "Well, I heard Kaoru-san tried to cheer up Misao-san… but I don't know how it went. Well, you know how Misao-san has been now, with her ordering everyone around and forcing them to call her 'Okashira' all of a sudden."

"Yeah, but…" Sakura lowered her head and frowned. "But she doesn't seem like full of energy like she always is…"

Syaoran was silent for a while before he whispered, "I heard that she isn't using magic to heal Aoshi."

"What?!" Horrified, Sakura jumped up and grabbed Syaoran's shoulder. "But they can't do that! He might die!"

"It's okay, Sakura, calm down." Syaoran placed his hand over Sakura's as he explained, "She bandaged his wounds and everything, but she's not using her onmitsu magic on him. Or so I heard. I haven't seen Aoshi since we returned to the Aoi-Ya earlier today."

"So then it's…" Sakura searched for the right word, "…some kind of punishment, then?"

Syaoran said quietly, "I think so."

Sakura bit her lip and turned away. _But Misao-san seemed to like Aoshi-san so much… she didn't stop talking about him in the forest on the way to Kyoto… so how can she turn on him? That's something some bad people would do…_ Sakura shook her head. _No, there's no such thing as bad people._ However even as she tried to convince herself, an image of Shishio grinning sadistically came to her mind. _…Right? I don't know anymore…_

"Don't be sad, Sakura." Sakura looked up into Syaoran's tender brown eyes. His smile had returned. "We'll get through this, I know we will."

Frowning, Sakura closed her eyes and whispered sadly, "How can you be so sure?"

"Well, that's easy." Syaoran took both of Sakura's hands and smiled at her. "Because I believe in you."

"S-Syaoran-kun…" murmured Sakura, her eyes widening. She blinked several times before she smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you…"

To Sakura's surprise, Syaoran's smile faltered. "Sakura… there's something important that I need to tell you. I promised that I would tell you later, when the time was right and I think…" Syaoran stared into Sakura's eyes. "Now is the right time."

A chill shuddered down Sakura's spine. She barely dared to breathe, "Wha… what?"

The front gate to the Aoi-Ya slammed open and shouting could be heard from the courtyard. Sakura and Syaoran jumped, their hands breaking apart. Another loud yell pierced the air. Sakura and Syaoran frowned at each other before they gasped, "Sanosuke-san!"

They rushed to the front of the Aoi-Ya to see Sano, Kenshin, and Saito standing by the entrance.

"Sanosuke-san!"

"Ken-nii!"

Syaoran ran towards Sano, only for Sano to give Syaoran a noogie. "Hey, kiddo!" He grinned. "How did you live without me?"

Sakura tackled Kenshin into a hug. "Nii-chan! I missed you! You were gone so long, I was worried! Are you all right?"

Kenshin chuckled, wrapping his arms around Sakura and giving her a squeeze before letting go. "This one is fine, Sakura-chan, but he has some… news to share. Can you get everyone-?"

Everyone, that is Kaoru, Yahiko, Tsubame, Misao, Okina, and the other former Oniwabanshū members, barreled out the door and surrounded Kenshin and Sano, asking endless questions. Saitō hung back, seemingly content to watch the storm pass him by. Watching everyone, Sakura couldn't help but smile. _We're like one big family. Expect for Saitō-san._ However, Kenshin's cries for silence interrupted Sakura's thoughts.

"Please, quiet, everyone!" After a few seconds, everyone settled down and gave Kenshin questioning looks. Kenshin spun around slowly, meeting everyone's eyes one by one. "Tell this one… where is Kero? He can hide no longer."

"Who said I'm hiding?"

Everyone turned to the left where Kero was flying about six feet off the ground. His arms were crossed and he stared at Kenshin. A long silence pause ensued as the two of them squared off. "Well?" Kero said, eventually. "What's yer big news? Gonna keep everyone waitin' fer my sake? I mean, after all, I don't suppose ya singled me out just ta say hello."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes at Kero before he did something unexpected. Kenshin smiled. "Hello to you, too, Kero."

Kero smiled, but it didn't last long.

Sakura glanced back and forth from Kenshin to Kero, confused. _What's going on between them? Are they fighting or…?_

Seeing Sakura's troubled expression out of the corner of his eye, Kenshin smiled at her. However, even Sakura as a child could see the strain behind it. He placed a warning hand on her shoulder. Kenshin took a deep breath before he announced, "Tomorrow at one minute to midnight, Shishio will set Kyoto on fire."

Everyone gasped, horrified. Kaoru stammered, "How can this be?"

Misao stepped forward and raised her fist. "Not while I'm Okashira!"

"Kyoto? On fire?" Yahiko gripped the handle of his shinai on his back. "If Shishio thinks he can get away with that that, he's got another thing coming!"

"B-But…" Tsubame stammered, looking around nervously. "How are you going to stop him? Kyoto is such a big city…"

A dangerous gleam was in Okina's eyes as he explained, "We have friends and contacts throughout the entire city. If we warn them ahead of time of Shishio's plans, we should be able to catch Shishio's men prowling the city before they light fires."

"And," Sano added, pointing a thumb towards Saitō, "…we just told the police the story so we got them to back us up."

"It was the police who discovered the plan in the first place, _ahō_ ," snapped Saitō.

Kenshin shook his head. "No, it's not that simple. Shishio will ensure that his first move into the public is so powerful that there will be no doubt in anyone's minds: he will rule Japan with an iron fist. And behind that overwhelming power is magic. Not only will we be unable to stop him, but he'll expose magic for all the world to see. It will be all that Japan can do to meet Shishio's demands and hope for the best. That is, unless…"

Kenshin turned to Kero and glared at him. "…Kero tells everyone everything he knows about magic and the Clow Cards. Or else we'll all die."

Everyone turned to Kero, their expression ranging from concern to open hostility. However Saitō just chuckled. He played with a cigarette in his hand as he said, "There's no need to be so dramatic, Battōsai. I already told you, I'll kill him if he doesn't cooperate."

"What?!" Misao snarled, a dozen daggers in her hands in a blink of an eye. The other onmitsu also bared their weapons and stepped forward towards Saitō. Misao yelled, "How dare you threaten Sun Guardian-sama?! Those who do deserve death!"

Saitō raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I heard that this Shinomori Aoshi had attacked Battōsai and, presumably the girl as well, and yet he seemed alive to me when I came here earlier."

Misao hesitated, confusion and pain flashing across her face. "Well that… that's because…"

Saitō threw his head back and laughed. "Some Okashira you are!"

Misao snarled and was about to lunged herself at Saitō when Kero screamed, "Enough!" Kero crossed his arms and sat Indian style in the air. "Whoever…" Kero said in a deceptively calm voice, "…said that I was opposed ta telling yas about magic?"

"Don't even say that!" Kenshin stepped forward, a rare sight of his anger marring his expression. "Ōkubo-sama died because this one couldn't save him."

"And that," Kero countered, "…was before I learned of Shishio. Also, I remember me telling ya before ya left to Kyoto that as soon as we confirmed that Shishio was abusing da Clow Cards, I would ya about the cards."

Kenshin's voice was a bit softer as he rejoined, "Shishio's abuse of the cards was established a long time ago."

"And this is the first time we've had a chance since we were reunited with da kid, _busu_ , and the others." Kenshin frowned but didn't protest. Kero sighed heavily as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Look, everyone is completely justified in their anger towards me. I'll be the first ta admit that maybe some lives could have been saved if I told yas of magic earlier. But I believe da Oniwabanshū would understand that revealing secrets of magic often involves unforeseeable complications and dangers. It is because of this, and Clow Reed's orders to reveal magic and its properties to others only when there is no other choice but ta do so, have I not told yas." Kero hung his head as he whispered, "I'm sorry, but when it comes down ta it, I chose my creator Clow Reed, Sakura, and the kid over the rest of ya."

Kenshin, Kaoru, and Tsubame lowered their eyes to the ground, a mix of disappointment and sadness on their faces. Sano punched his fist into the palm of his other hand, an angry glint in his eyes. Yahiko fingered the hilt of his shinai, but the upset expression on his face made it appear that he really hated the idea of being reduced to using force on a friend. Syaoran turned his head away, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. Sakura watched Kero with forlorn eyes. _Kero-chan, why…? Why do you make everyone so upset with you? I… know you're better than this._

"But…" Kero lifted his head to stare at them all. "…that was before I learned just how amazing and strong everyone was," he smiled. "If yer willing ta forgive me-no even if ya won't-I'll tell you everything that yas need to know, but we forewarned. Yas may not want to hear it." Was it just Sakura's imagination or did Kero's eyes flick over to her and Syaoran just now?

Everyone, however, missed Kero's glance and a collective breath expelled out of them. The tension in the air evaporated in an instant, and there were smiles all around. They surrounded Kero, ask him endless questions. Sakura and Syaoran stayed behind, apart from the rest.

Syaoran turned to Sakura. "Is this what you want, Sakura? Concerned, Syaoran whispered, "This could change our futures, you know."

Sakura involuntarily shrived, feeling a cold wind blow when there was none. For what seemed the millionth time, the dream she had of the death of everyone she loved appeared in her mind. As the images relieved themselves, a sense of dread filled her. Without a doubt in her mind, Sakura knew that the information learned from Kero would lead them all one step closer to her foreseen future… to their deaths. And yet… Her bangs covered her eyes as Sakura breathed, "We have to stop Shishio… or a lot of people might die…"

"I know we can't give up now. I'm just asking if you're ready."

 _Am I ready? No… No, I'm not._ Sakura closed her eyes, pushing away her fear and self-doubt. Remembering Syaoran's words to her from earlier, Sakura said, "If I remember that everything will be all right… then whatever happens, I will be able to continue fighting."

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Ahō-Fool, moron, idiot, etc. Generally intended to be stronger than _baka_

Baka deshi-Idiot apprentice, stupid pupil, etc.

Bakayarō-You moron, fool, dumbass, etc.

Busu-Ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Okashira-Leader or commander

Onmitsu-Ninja

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Shishō-Master; the manga stated that it is used in specific situations when a student addresses their swords master (and implies the sword style of study in question is made up of only one student and master), but today it is used more broadly.

Shoji-the name of the sliding doors in Japan (as opposed to a Western door that opens and closes on a hinge)

Sō ka-I see, is that so, etc. Has other meanings of which I do not know.

* * *

This chapter went through quite a lot of revisions… and you know what that means! More original/deleted scenes for the bonus chapter at the end of the story! There are so many scenes that I'm thinking of making it two bonus chapters. In the upcoming few weeks, I will have to babysit my young nephews at an unexpected time. I am concerned that during that time I won't be able to do homework then, let alone typing, so it is possible that I may not post on time and not have warned you beforehand (aside from this warning, that is). When this isn't an issue anymore, I'll let you know. Thanks for putting up with me!

Hello, Sakura Chara! (Or do you prefer Kura?) I'm happy that you found the last scene funny. That's a very good question, thanks for asking! Yes, Shishio does know ofKero, because of his "research" on the Clow Book. Kero was present when Shishio, Sōjirō, Hōji, Kenshin, Saitō, Misao, and Sakura met after Mt. Hiei collapsed. However, Shishio hasn't met Kero and talked to him specifically like he had with Sakura. Of course you can hold me accountable about updates; I want my word to mean something, but I will be babysitting young children in the upcoming weeks at an unexpected time and this may affect my updates. I hope you understand. Thank you for reviewing!

Hi, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad you found the chapter funny. And yes, poor Yahiko. I've been planning that for a while. :) No apology is necessary! No one is required to review; it's a privilege for the author, and not something that they should expect. That's not to say I don't appreciate your reviews; I do very much! Thank you for comment!

Next chapter: Just why has Kero ben so reluctant to tell Kenshin and the others about the Clow Cards? What information has he been keeping from them? The secrets Kero has kept for so long will finally come to light!

Thanks for the support! If you enjoyed the chapter or didn't, don't be afraid to share your thoughts! :)


	23. Clow Reed's Spell!

All of the unanswered questions presented in this tale is finally answered in this chapter. I hope you enjoy and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Disclaimer: The day the sky turns green and the grass blue is the day that I will move to Mars. XD Anyway, I don't own RK or CCS.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Clow Reed's Spell!

In the low light of several andons, everyone was gathered around Kero in a secluded room of the Aoi-Ya. Even Aoshi, though still weak from his wounds and all but ostracized by the former onmitsu, was present. Everyone watched Kero, completely absorbed by all his words.

"Everyone listening? Good. Then I'll start with explaining why Sakura's wand isn't da Star Wand and da Clow Cards are Clow Cards, not Sakura Cards."

After explaining the difference between the Sakura Cards and the Clow Cards, Kero stated, "There isn't a lot of magic in da world in da Meiji Era. The Clow Cards are supposed ta be sealed in the Clow Book. The Star Wand and the Sakura Cards are instruments of Sakura's magic-they contain parts of her power-and Sakura is the strongest magician. So if Sakura traveled back time ta the Meiji Era with the Star Wand and the Sakura Cards, there would be two sets of Clow Cards or some facsimile of, and two Clow Books. That would be too much magic for the world to handle. The magical balance of that time would be skewed, causing disaster. Ta prevent this from happening, Clow Reed put a spell on the Clow Cards and the Clow Book. In the event of a Cardcaptor traveling through time, the cards and the wand the Cardcaptor holds would revert ta whatever form the cards and the wand are of that's time period. And da Clow Book from that time would be impossible to open. In other words, Sakura's Sakura Cards transformed back into the Clow Cards, because in the Meiji era, the cards are Clow Cards, not Sakura Cards. And the same goes for her wand. With the Clow Book being impossible ta open, the spell prevents someone breaking the seal of Meiji's Clow Book and causing two sets of cards becoming active at once in one time period."

"Then you mean to say," Kaoru interrupted, "…that the Clow Cards Sakura-chan has are from the future, not the Meiji era's set of Clow Cards?"

"Correct," Kero answered. "The Meiji era's Clow Cards are sealed in the Clow Book that the Aoi-Ya has been protecting and Aoshi gave to Shishio. That Clow Book as well originates from the Meiji era."

Yahiko held his head and muttered to himself, "This is too complicated. I don't understand…" Tsubame laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and Yahiko immediately quit whining to stare at her honey-eyed.

Ignoring Yahiko, Kero continued, "The Clow Book from the future is still in the future. Knowing that just two sets of the Clow Book existing simultaneously in one time period would be enough to mess things up, Clow Reed made sure da Clow Book couldn't travel through time."

Kenshin, who was sitting on Sakura's other side, spoke up, "This one understands what you are saying, Kero, that he does. But what exactly about that information made it so important that you couldn't tell us?"

Kero's eyes flickered to Sakura and Syaoran. "The spell that Clow Reed made was a closely guarded secret of mine and Yue have kept for centuries. And…" Kero closed his eyes for a long moment as though he was steeling himself. The room was filled with nervous tension as the silence stretched on. Everyone leaned in towards Kero in anticipation.

 _This is it._ Sakura thought, gripping her kimono by her knees. _This is what Kero-chan has told me, what will change our futures. Is it… what I think it is?_

Kero slowly opened his eyes. Kero's voice was gravely solemn as he pronounced, "The Cardcaptor traveling through time and inadvertently letting magic be abused and exposed ta the world is the disaster foretold by Clow Reed, the disaster that will cause the end of the world."

Everyone gasped, horrified, and their eyes went wide. Tsubame squeezed her eyes shut, quivering slightly. Sano cried, "Wait, what? The end of the world? What is this garbage?"

At Kero's words, Sakura mouth ran dry and her entire body became cold, as though a ghost had walked over her grave. Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned to Syaoran and met his eyes. She knew they both thought of the same thing at the same time.

 _I knew it._

Her mind raced a thousand miles per second, furiously trying to understand the implications of this revelation. A memory of her past came to her mind. Putting her hand on the ground, Sakura leaned towards Kero and objected, "But Kero-chan! I thought the disaster was me failing Yue's last judgment at Tokyo Tower! Me not becoming the Cardcaptor! That world that I saw… the world without anyone loving each other coming true…"

Kero smiled and shook his head. "No, Sakura. Remember? Clow Reed used the Clow Card's predicting magic to know that you would be the next Cardcaptor. He knew that you would pass Yue's judgment and become the master over the guardians and the Clow Cards. While failing to pass Yue's judgment would have been a disaster, it is not the true disaster my creator feared and warned me about."

"L-Look! What disaster?" Kaoru shouted, her confusion barely masking her growing panic. "I never heard of such a thing!" Several other people chimed in agreement, however the onmitsu of the Oniwabanshū were deathly silent. They looked downright pale and more than a little scared.

Kero gravely explained, "Clow Reed foresaw a disaster would occur sometime after a person undid da seal on the Clow Book, releasing the Clow Cards into the world. Sakura undid the seal back when she first became the Cardcaptor. Ever since I've been waiting fer the signs that the disaster was coming…"

In a hushed whisper, Kenshin breathed, "What signs? And what kind of disaster are you talking about?"

"A magical disaster that occurs when da magical balance of the world is disturbed. Magic flows not only through people, but in the land of the earth itself, the air, the water… It's everywhere. The duty of da Cardcaptor is ta preserve the magical balance of the world, ensuring the natural order of the world is kept safe. But if Shishio were to… to become the next Cardcaptor, he will use all of the magic available in nature ta rule Japan, ta rule the world even. He would destroy da fragile balance, causing a sorts of natural disasters throughout da world. Hurricanes. Avalanches. Tornadoes. Severe droughts. Massive lighting storms. Wildfires. Flash floods. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Volcanic eruptions. Even miniature ice ages. With such chaos and death, the very world itself will break apart. Da end of the world would be upon us."

Yahiko gagged, "You… You're kidding me right?"

Kero hung his head, silently answering Yahiko's question. After a moment, Kero whispered, "I wish I was. But if we don't stop Shishio from burning Kyoto and taking over Japan, then who knows? We could be days away from the first natural disasters from occurring."

Okina shook his head. "I should have known this would happen… between Shishio, Aoshi stealing the Clow Book, and the Cardcaptor and the sun guardian's appearance…"

Kero whispered, "At first, I suspected that the Cardcaptor and I traveling through time was da disaster. Clow Reed wasn't really specific with the details about what the disaster he predicted was going to be like, ya see. While the cards from the future were scattered in the past, it didn't necessarily mean that magic would be exposed or abused by the world at large. Or that one man's ambition could lead to the world going out of magical balance. But then it wasn't until I learned that of Shishio and one of his henchmen killing that Ōkubo-sama man…" Kero closed his eyes. "Now I see that the disaster is much more dangerous than I ever thought."

"Why…?" Kenshin asked, more saddened than angry, "Why did even then you refuse to tell this one of the Clow Cards?"

"Well, that's because…" Kero put a paw to his face and sighed wearily. "Kenshin, ya have ta try ta understand… I was, I was scared. The events leading up ta the possible end of the world was just confirmed before my eyes. And… that meant that by keeping my secrets about the Clow Cards from yas could have unintentionally set the disaster in motion. By claiming that I was right in withholding information on the Clow Cards from you, I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't the cause of the disaster occurring. But no matter how much I tried to deny it, no matter how much I wanted to protect you all from getting involved in the disaster… it's still going to happen."

Saitō's sharp voice cut through the room. "I didn't come here to listen to you wallowing in self-pity, I came here to learn how we're killing Shishio."

"That won't be easy," Sakura said, gripping the wand in her hands. She grew serious as she said, "Shishio has all the rest Clow Cards." Syaoran nodded his agreement.

"What?" Yahiko gasped. "How do you know for sure?"

"We don't," Kero answered. "But, all of the cards, Clow Cards or Sakura Cards, should have recognized that Sakura is their master since Sakura sealed them all once already. If Sakura and the cards were separated and scattered when Sakura traveled ta the past, they should have done all they could ta reunite with their master. But they haven't. In fact, several have attacked us here in the Meiji. As Sakura learned," Kero nodded at Sakura, "Shishio sent them to kill us. That means they must be held captive by Shishio and his men, forced to do their evil bidding."

Sano frowned and crossed his arms. "So how exactly do we defeat a bunch of magic powered up fighting freaks bent on destroying the world?"

Kero grinned evilly and laughed. "Well, now… I have just the plan…"

* * *

Despondent, Sakura trudged down an empty hallway of the Aoi-Ya. Literally the fate of the entire world rested on her small shoulders. She may be the Cardcaptor, she may be the strongest magician in the world, but she was just a small, inexperienced, naïve, twelve-year-old girl… what could she do? She drew herself to a halt and raised her head to look out a window. The sun was beginning to dip past the horizon. It was a calming scene, but all Sakura could think about was, _Tomorrow at one minute to minute Shishio-san will burn Kyoto._ The time for action was now.

Despite knowing this, Sakura still hesitated before taking the next step in ensuring their victory over Shishio and saving the world from the magical disaster. Turning away from the window, Sakura faced the bedroom shoji doors on the other side of the hallway. She laid her hand on the bedroom shoji doors in front of her, afraid to knock. Should she go in? Should she talk to him? Everyone else seemed intent on excluding him, punishing him. But if Kero's plan to defeat Shishio was to succeed, she needed his help. _Everyone else has already lent their strength_ , Sakura thought as she gripped her wand in her other hand, feeling a swell of magic rising from within the pink magical instrument. _Kero-chan told me that his part was the most important of all for his plan… But what if Kero-chan's plan fails?_ Fear rooted Sakura to the spot. _I don't know… I don't know how I can go on…_

"Someone call for some cream and sugar?"

At the familiar voice, Sakura whipped her head up to the side to behold a person she hadn't seen in months. A person she missed from the bottom of her heart.

"Tōya onii-chan!" Sakura cried.

Down the hall, Tōya stood in the servant's uniform of the Aoi-Ya holding a tray with two cups on it. He winked at her. "Monster." Raising the tray, Tōya asked, "Want some coffee?"

Though a part of Sakura was overjoyed at seeing her brother from the future again, she was wary he was just a figment of her imagination. "Onii-chan… is that really you?"

Tōya shrugged as he walked over to her. " _Saa na_? But I do know this. If you want to see us all again, you have to do everything you can to stop this disaster from occurring. If you don't give it everything you got, the world will be destroyed."

Sakura lowered her head and her gaze. _The world…_ Images of the natural disasters Kero predicted would occur flashed through her mind. _…will be destroyed… I can't believe it._

Tōya's eyes bore into Sakura. "Sakura… what do you want?"

"What… do I want?" Sakura mouthed, confused. She searched her feelings. "I want… to be safe. I want Ken-nii, Kaoru onee-san, Syaoran-kun, and everyone to be safe," She whispered. "Safe and happy…" Sakura bit her lip, growing more upset. "I want, I want… to go home…"

"And what do you have to do to go home?"

Sakura remained silent for a while, contemplating the answer, even though she knew it immediately. She only had to work up her courage. She raised her head and stared deep into Tōya's dark eyes. "I have to stop Shishio."

"Then if want to go home and see me again you don't have any time to waste on being scared. You have to keep on fighting. That's all there is to it."

Tōya was right. Kenshin had learned the secret from his master in order to stop Shishio, now it was her turn to step up to the plate. Sakura nodded, resolve shinning in her eyes. "I'll beat Shishio, I promise! I won't let you down!"

Tōya smirked, "Well, I'm sure about that. Shishio will take one look at you monster and start running away screaming his head off." Steamed, Sakura was about to yell at him, when Tōya gestured to the shoji doors with his head. "Need to talk to that guy, right? It's like Father always says," Tōya offered the tray for Sakura to take. "Coffee makes everything right."

Sakura looked down at the coffee and then up at Tōya's smirking face. _Everything right… Everything will be all right._ Sakura smiled, comfort and peace settling over her. She returned her wand to its key pendant form and took the tray from Tōya. She said, "Yes… it does. Thanks, onii-chan." She smiled at Tōya. "I'll see you soon!"

Sakura nudged the shoji doors open with her foot. Stepping inside with a bright smile, Sakura chirped, "Someone order some coffee?"

Aoshi raised his head from his meditative position. Seeing it was Sakura, he lowered his head. After a moment, he said quietly, "I did not ask for anything."

If Sakura would let one rebuff get her spirits down, she never would have been Kenshin's little sister. Ignoring Aoshi, Sakura walked over to Aoshi and set down the tray. In the silence, Sakura studied Aoshi. He seemed to have been meditating deeply on something despite his bandaged wounds. A glance to the right showed other trays with untouched food on them. Sakura frowned. Everyone needed to eat, especially Aoshi who was still recovering.

"Why are you here? Is there something you need?"

Jarred out of her thoughts, Sakura turned to Aoshi. He was watching her with a blank expression, but at least he was making eye contact. _And he isn't upset with me for coming in on him like this. Is it just because I'm the Cardcaptor?_ Sakura wondered. Aloud, she said, "You should drink this coffee and eat your food. And-oh! Of course, you don't want it," Sakura laughed. "The food is cold. I'll make something new if you want. Ken-nii has been teaching me how to cook this era's food. I'm not as good as nii-chan, but I'll try my best! So what do you-"

Lowering his head, Aoshi said, "Why do you care about me?"

Sakura was stunned by the question. "What do you mean?"

Aoshi sighed, as though he was exasperated to explain something simple to a child. "I wanted to kill your 'older brother'. I stole the Clow Book and gave it to Shishio. While I did not know Shishio would use the Clow Book to make you and Sun Guardian-sama travel to the past, it is still in part my fault the disaster is occurring."

Sakura was silent for a while as she tried to understand the hidden message in Aoshi's words. "You mean… why have I forgiven you?" Aoshi's eyes widened slightly before he adverted his gaze with a quiet humph. Sakura chuckled breathlessly. "Silly. Forgiveness and repentance is what Ken-nii wants, because he hurt a lot of people. That's why he became a rurouni. But Kenshin's a good person. He's not Battōsai any longer." Sakura smiled sweetly and Aoshi and tilted her head to the side. "The same goes for you! The same goes for anybody!"

Aoshi stared at Sakura in open amazement. "I… I am beginning to understand why Clow Reed-sama chose a child as the next Cardcaptor."

Though she was confused by Aoshi's words, Sakura didn't ask for clarification. She chanted the releasing spell and the pink wand materialized in her hands. "Kero-chan told everyone his plan, but he told me on the side something else that's very important."

Aoshi glanced up sharply at Sakura, his expression fierce. "What is it?"

Sakura gripped the wand that was bursting with magic. "I need you to do something for me. You and Misao-san. Something to bring down Shishio-san…"

* * *

"Hyaaa! Hyaaa! Hyaaa!"

Curious by the origin of the shouts, Sakura knelt behind a bush outside the Aoi-Ya. Darkness had settled over the world and it was long past the time Sakura normally went to bed. Like Sakura, everyone of the Aoi-Ya was awake, making preparation for the burning of the Kyoto. But in all the frantic hustle and bustle one person was missing. It was that person Sakura was desperately looking for.

Rising from her kneeling position, Sakura peered over the top of the bush. A couple of meters away, Syaoran was dressed in his Chinese magical combat suit, swinging his sword and shouting in time with his swings. Strangely, though it appeared that he was training his magic, Sakura could detect no magic rising within him or in the environment. As Syaoran practiced, Sakura continued to watch him. Sweat slid down his face and dirt caked his face and hands… but there was something about the sight of him practicing in the moonlight made Sakura's heart hammer in her chest. Her face flushed and she found herself unable to look away.

Was this love? Was just wanting Syaoran to be safe and happy what love was? She wanted Tomoyo, Kenshin, Tōya, Yukito, and all of her friends and family to be safe and content, so it didn't seem like it. But then why? Why was it that she always wanted to be near him, what about Syaoran that drew her in? Made her think about what love was…

"Sakura? What are you doing?"

Sakura screamed, jumping out of her skin. She looked up to see Syaoran staring down at her with a curious expression on his face. "Are you all right?"

"U-U-Uh…" Sakura's face turned as bright red as a cherry. She placed her hands on her chest in an attempt to stop her racing heart. In contemplating what her feelings for Syaoran was, it seemed that she had zoned out and completely missed seeing Syaoran approach her. "I-I'm fine. What about you? What are you doing?" Grinning up sheepishly at him, Sakura smoothed out her kimono with a free hand, trying to calm her nerves.

Syaoran raised his eyebrow, but he answered her question. "I was… training. Practicing my magic. I was with Kerberos but one of the onmitsu wanted him for something so he's inside."

Frowning, Sakura turned her head to look at the inn. _Kero-chan and Syaoran-kun training together? I thought they didn't like each other much. Is there something going on that I don't know about?_

"I'm glad you're here. Now I can tell you what I wanted to say earlier." Syaoran's voice broke Sakura's train of thought. She saw Syaoran holding out his hand to her. Gulping, Sakura took his hand and Syaoran helped her stand up and move out from behind the shrubbery. Sakura blinked at Syaoran when he continued to hold onto Sakura's hand longer than necessary. After a moment he jerked, snatching his hand away and muttering an apology.

Watching Syaoran's reaction, Sakura wondered, _Was he staring at me like I just was?_

Suddenly Syaoran's eyes darkened. "I don't know if I should…" He sighed, troubled, but then he shook his head, determination transforming his face. Holding out his hand, a card appeared in his hand. He held it up to Sakura. A pink card. Sakura's eyes went wide at the sight, her throat went dry, and her palms began to sweat.

"It can't be…" Sakura breathed.

"It is," Syaoran countered, dead serious. "This is how I traveled back to the past. How I found you."

With shaking hands, Sakura slowly reached toward the card. She clasped it, and then brought it closer to her. She could feel the card between her fingers. It wasn't like Tōya's strange and sudden appearance; it was real. Sakura glanced down at the bottom of the card where the name of the card was always inscribed.

But there was no name.

It was the Nameless Card, the card created from Sakura's tears when she learned that Syaoran was leaving Japan.

 _I created this Sakura Card when I was thinking about how sad I would be if Syaoran-kun would leave… how much I wanted him to stay with me, by my side, for always and forever… So does that mean… does that mean…?!_

When Sakura didn't speak, Syaoran continued, a bit unsure of himself and embarrassed. "So…" Syaoran bit the inside of his lip and rubbed the back of his head. But his nervousness disappeared as his mind became lost in a memory. His voice dropped to a whisper. "When you first went missing, I was so certain that you would come back soon. But the days dragged on and on. No matter what I did you didn't come. I was… I was afraid that you would never come back. That I would grow up and life would move on and everyone would forget about you…

"It was then, a month, two weeks, and three days after the day you left, I returned to the spot where I told you my feelings, so that even if life moved on I would never forget how much I loved you…"

"S-Syaoran-kun…" Sakura choked.

Syaoran looked up at her and smiled. "It was there at Tokyo Tower, I saw the Clow Book lying on the ground and that nameless card on top of it. When the other people on the street walked past them without seeing them, I understood that only those with enough magical sensitivity could see them, that… that they were calling me. They were there as if they had been waiting for me to realize that I couldn't forget about you. That I would do anything for you to come back. Because when I held that card… and thought of you… it grew warm. And it brought me into the past."

Hearing Syaoran's words, Sakura clutched the card to her chest, refusing to let it go. That card was formed from her loneliness, sadness, regret, and desire to be with Syaoran. It was born from her _emotions_. Kero had always stated that when using magic, one needed to use the entire body and the soul, but he had never said that emotions were the source of all magic itself. _Yes… yes that's it, isn't it? Clow Cards were created from Clow Reed's emotions._ All of the Clow Cards, all of them created from the welling of pure human emotion. Windy was created from Clow Reed enjoying the feeling of being free. Fly and Jump, too. Shadow, Shield, and Illusion from the desire to hide. And Erase and Maze. Glow and Flower stemmed from beauty. Sword, the need to fight or protect. Sakura was shaken to the core at the revelation: though she had wondered why Clow Reed had created cards that were capable of such great destruction after Ōkubo's death, none of the Clow Cards were evil. Not a single one. Eriol had said that there was darkness in the Clow Cards, but darkness wasn't evil. Nothing was bad or evil about emotions; they were what made people human. And the emotion the Nameless Card was created from…

"Sakura… that card led me to you."

 _Love. I love Syaoran-kun._

"Uh, Sakura? Are you all right?"

Sakura couldn't have answered Syaoran if she wanted to. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her entire face was red and flushed. Because she couldn't breathe she took huge sobbing breaths. She clung to the card as if her life depended on it. For it did. It was a very personification of the depth of her love and affection for Syaoran. A love that crossed the boundaries of time. Coming to the realization of her feelings for Syaoran, Sakura felt as though a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. A gentle warm and glowing light enveloped her. Here before her stood a young man, who would travel to the ends of the earth and jump through time just to make her smile once more. In that moment all of the fear Sakura had felt about the upcoming disaster slipped away, replaced with a happiness and elation that was like no other. She couldn't speak past the large lump in her throat, from her tears of happiness.

"Sakura?" Syaoran asked with more urgency. "Are you okay?"

 _Oh, Syaoran-kun… You really don't know, do you?_ The thought made Sakura laugh, but it sounded more like a sob. She hastened to ease Syaoran's worry. She nodded enthusiastically, "Uh… Uh huh, uh huh. Uh."

Syaoran exhaled, a content smile on his face. "Good." He glanced down at the card Sakura held and he became serious. "Using that card, I was able to find you in the dojo in Tokyo. And again, when you left to Kyoto, the card led me straight to you, and just in time to save your life from Aoshi."

As Syaoran turned away, Sakura could see the guilt in his eyes as he continued, "But I took all this time to tell you because… because I was scared. I spent three months searching for you in the future and in the past. What if we got separated again? How would I find you? I… I would be lost if you went missing again… So I kept the card even though it's obviously a Sakura Card that you created. I kept it with me and didn't tell you about it for the longest time.

"But now…" Syaoran turned back to Sakura and faced her head on. "Now I want to give it back to you. Because I trust that if we got separated again, you would do anything to return to me, that you would be strong enough to defeat anything that's separating us. I trust that I have friends that I can count on, that will help me find you again. And most of all… I trust myself now. That no matter what happens, I will be able to find and live to protect you."

"S-Syaoran-kun… I…" Sakura sniffed. Her hands still shaking, she offered the pink card to Syaoran. Syaoran stared up at her in surprise. He began to object, but Sakura wouldn't hear of it. She took Syaoran's hands, made them grip the card, and held Syaoran's hands in hers. Though tears were still fresh on her cheeks, her determination shone like the sun in her eyes. "I want you to keep it. There is something I want to tell you, but I won't say it now. Because I want to let that be one more reason why I have to do my best to defeat Shishio and return."

Unsure, Syaoran glanced between the offered card and the resolve in Sakura's eyes. Then he smiled. "All right… if you say so. But Sakura, you always do your best in everything you do."

Hearing those words, a wave of his love crashed into her. Sakura laughed Syaoran's name, causing more tears to fall. Syaoran let go of the card to hug Sakura fiercely. He whispered in her ear, "I… I'll always wait for you. Forever and ever…"

Sakura never wanted to let him go. Smiling, Sakura buried her face deeper into Syaoran's shoulder. "And I will always come back to you…" _...Syaoran, my love._

* * *

Heaving a sigh, Kenshin wiped the sakabatō blade with one last swipe of a cloth. While everyone was giving Kenshin his distance, allowing him to mentally prepare himself for the upcoming task, Kenshin felt anything but ready. Questions and doubts plagued his mind. Did Kenshin have enough strength to fight Shishio and win? Or would he have to kill Shishio? Or would Kenshin die by Shishio's hand? Could he protect Sakura? Kenshin didn't know how he could handle seeing her hurt and beaten again…

 _No._ Kenshin scolded himself. _It's not a matter of "can and can't". It's "do or don't"._ His eyes trailed away from his work and into the distance. _Plus, I learned the secret from_ Shishō _. He taught me that the real strength in battle is the will to live. But… what do I have to live for?_

The first image that immediately came to Kenshin was Sakura. Sakura never stopped trying to Kenshin to see the brighter side or things. Never stopped loving him. And she would never stop being Kenshin's beloved little sister. But it wasn't meant to last. Kenshin had vowed to return Sakura to where she belonged in the future. With the discovery of the Clow Book, that finally seemed to be a possible reality and Sakura would disappear from Kenshin's life forever.

And what was he supposed to do after defeating Shishio if he won? Would he return to the life as a rurouni? Was a life as a rurouni what he wanted the will to live for? Kenshin leaned his head back and closed his eyes. _After so many months of staying at the dojo, of finally living and breathing and smiling and laughing… how can I go back to the loneliness and misery of a rurouni? But… what other choice do I have? I still need to repent for my sins…_

Kaoru's declaration echoed in his mind, breaking through his despair. _"I don't know how you can let go of your past and move on, but I want to help you however possible. That's the entire reason why I want to grow stronger, why I came here, why I wanted to see you so badly."_

 _Yes…_ Kenshin thought. _Sakura-chan may make me happy, but she cannot relieve me of my guilt, my need for repentance. Kaoru-dono was offering to share my burden of my past and to help me to move on. Leaving my past behind and learning to want to live again is the strength that_ Shishō _said I needed to defeat the hitokiri within. That strength is not the strength or power behind a sword swing, but the strength of the heart. Such strength that I don't have but…_

Memories of Kaoru flooded his mind. Kaoru's naïve trust letting Kenshin stay at her dojo despite just learning that he was hitokiri Battōsai. Kaoru's belief in Kenshin that he would protect her, a belief that still persisted when the illusion of Jin-E kidnapped her. Kaoru demanding that Kenshin couldn't leave the dojo and become a rurouni with her favorite ribbon in tow. Kaoru risking her life by following Kenshin to Kyoto and fighting Aoshi, just so that she could tell him that she would do whatever she could to help him move beyond his past…

 _I may not have the strength of the heart, but Kaoru-dono does._ A slow smile grew on his face. _And such a beautiful heart she has… so beautiful and gentle and kind and…_ Kenshin froze, his next thought turning him cold.

… _so loving…_

No, no, no. This wasn't happening. This wasn't supposed to happen! That was very reason that Kenshin never stayed in one place for long, so he would form any lasting relationships with anyone. Because danger always befell them. _But Kaoru-dono came to Kyoto despite the danger of Shishio… And_ _if Kaoru-dono didn't come to Kyoto we never would have seen each other again._ Because Kenshin was going to travel as a rurouni after defeating Shishio …right? There weren't any other options for a person like Kenshin. But then… what about Kaoru? He couldn't just leave …could he? But what about his past…?

"Argh!" Releasing a frustrated cry, Kenshin stood up and sheathed the sakabatō. He was going nowhere fast, except stir crazy. _Maybe a bit of fresh air will help._ And so the red headed former assassin and rurouni headed out towards the roof of the Aoi-Ya to search his feelings.

Climbing out of the window on the top floor, Kenshin swung himself up and sat on the roof. Before him lay the beauty of the moon hanging in the sky and the sprawling city laid out below. But Kenshin saw none of that. As the night wore on, Kenshin retreated deeper and deeper within himself, desperately trying to solve a puzzle without an answer.

Sighing again, Kenshin leaned forward and rested his head on his fist. It was impossible. He didn't know what he wanted. He didn't even know if he deserved to get what he wanted. All he knew was that if he continued down this path, he was going to shatter into a thousand pieces.

"Kenshin? What are you doing up here?"

Kenshin turned around to see Kaoru standing on the roof behind him. She was dressed in a gi and hakama instead of a kimono, completely ready for battle aside from a weapon. Seeing Kenshin, Kaoru titled her head and studied him for a moment before smiling at him. She walked towards him and sat beside him, dangling her legs off of the edge of the roof.

Kaoru faced Kenshin with a bright smile. "What are you thinking about?"

Kenshin watched Kaoru stunned. _How did she know… how did she know that I needed her?_ Chuckling, Kenshin shook his head and looked away. It didn't really matter did it? She was here beside him, concerned about him. When Kaoru continued to give him a strange look, Kenshin said, "This one was just thinking of the future, that he was."

A silence followed Kenshin's ambiguous answer. After a while, Kaoru leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Gazing at the city below, Kaoru admitted, "I've been thinking about that lately as well."

 _You have?_ Kenshin thought with surprise. _But her future after we defeat Shishio is obvious… she'll rebuild Kamiya Kasshin-ryū._

Kaoru appeared nervous. She squirmed a bit before she stated, "I've been doing a lot of thinking about the future and about what I said to you in Hiko-san's cabin." Why did Kenshin's heart begin to race when Kaoru said that? "And I realized that I was being unfair to you."

Kenshin blurted, "Unfair?" before he realized what he had spoken.

Kaoru glanced up at him through her bangs before looking away and blushing. She whispered, "By saying that I was trying to help you but having no solution… I was kind of… kind of forcing myself on you…" Intrigued and a bit confused, Kenshin remained silent, listening to her explanation. Kaoru continued, "In all the time you've spent with me and everyone at the dojo, there was one thought that was constantly on my mind. How much I wanted you to stay. For you not to leave the dojo and return to being a rurouni. But I realize now just how wrong that was."

To Kenshin's further surprise, Kaoru's features morphed into anger. "Who knows that after you defeat Shishio if there will be another strong and powerful person that you have to fight? Or something threatening the magical balance and Sakura-chan isn't around? You would have to leave the dojo again to fight. You would…" Kaoru's hands balled into fists in her lap until they turned white and shook. "You would have to leave me again…"

 _Oh, Kaoru-dono… I'm so sorry._ The memory of Kaoru crying before Kenshin left to Kyoto haunted his mind. _I never wanted to do that to you, truly. But I can't promise that if another evil person were to appear that I would stay at the dojo. I still need to repent for my sins. I can't ignore the desperate pleas of the suffering._

"Which is why…" Kaoru said, breaking Kenshin's train of thought. "…I realized I couldn't make you stay. You may not always stay, but…" From within her pocket, Kaoru pulled out a dirty indigo ribbon.

Seeing it and recognizing it as the ribbon Kaoru tried to give to Kenshin before, Kenshin's eyes went wide. _She… she found it and kept it all this time?!_

Kaoru gently took Kenshin's hand in hers and placed the ribbon it in. Kenshin watched her with fascination, not daring to breathe. He looked up at Kaoru and their eyes locked. The entire world seemed to stop and fade away as Kaoru whispered, "…but you need something to make you always return. You need a home." With one hand, she raised Kenshin's hand that gripped the ribbon and held it to her heart while the other hand she cupped Kenshin's cheek. She smiled, "Kenshin… Kamiya Kasshin-ryū is your home. Even if you must wander again, please… always come back." Tears welled up her eyes as she breathed, "Always come back… to me."

From deep within the recesses of his soul, hope surged through Kenshin. _A… home? After a life full of suffering and misery, after ten years of isolation and fear and wandering… someone would… someone would give me a home?_

No, no, no. This wasn't happening. This couldn't possibly be happening! The very reason he wandered around was because no one could accept him. No one could accept a bloodthirsty murdering monster like him. _If I really care for her, I would know that by being with her, I am harming her, making her innocent soul filthy._

 _But is that really true?_ Memories one after another tumbled through his mind, of all the times Kaoru had attempted to understand Kenshin's feelings, her repeated and persistent offers to help Kenshin with his past, her bringing out the best of him. If Kaoru had not tried so hard to form a relationship with Kenshin, would they be as close as they are now? What had Kenshin offered Kaoru? With tenderness, Kenshin raised his other hand to hold Kaoru's cheek. As Kenshin lovingly smiled at her, the rightness of the moment struck him.

Now was the time to wake up and see the truth in front of him. To leave behind the past and start walking towards the future. Kaoru was the strength behind his wandering and confused her. Kaoru was his will to live. With one action, Kenshin could let Kaoru know just how much he loved her or he could let fear win his heart, and they would part, never to see each other again.

Kenshin gripped the ribbon in his other hand harder, conviction filling him. This was it. Shaking off Kaoru's hand that had covered his, Kenshin threw the ribbon off the roof without a backwards glance.

"K-Kenshin…?" Kaoru gasped, incredulous by Kenshin's actions. She reached out a hand to catch the ribbon, but it slipped out of her grasp. She turned back to Kenshin to see his unrepentant expression. In contrast Kaoru was absolutely devastated. "Kenshin, what did you… how could you… Why?!" Kaoru cried, tears slipping down her face. "Will nothing-?!"

Before Kaoru could finish her words, Kenshin silenced her with a kiss. Kaoru was caught completely off guard. She froze, her entire body going rigid. After what seemed an eternity had passed, Kaoru relaxed. She wrapped her arms around Kenshin's neck, pulled him closer, and returned the kiss **.** Her lips were warm and unbelievably had waited so long for this moment… the moment he could stop denying his feelings for her.

 _Silly Kaoru-dono._ Kenshin thought as he continued to kiss her. _I don't need a place to be my home. Because whenever I'm by your side, I_ am _home._

When Kenshin and Kaoru broke apart, he fully intended to tell her his thoughts, but something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru murmured. A huge smile on her face was on her face as she studied Kenshin with open adoration. "I'm sorry for doubting-"

Kenshin, too consumed with the sight before him, didn't hear a word Kaoru said. _Is that…?_ Horror stilled his heart in his chest as the realization dawned on him. _Yes it is. I can smell it now too._

Confused, Kaoru followed Kenshin's gaze and turned her head to the city before her. In the distance a large black plume rose into the star filled night sky. The air tasted and smelled of ash. Gasping, Kaoru covered her mouth with her hands. "No…"

Standing up, Kenshin continued to gaze at dark nebulous cloud. His fists clenched at his sides until they shook. "Chō lied," Kenshin gaped. "Kyoto burns tonight."

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Term Dictionary:

Andon-Traditional Japanese lamp

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. Hakama have ties at the waist that are tied and act like a modern belt. To the sides there are large triangle shaped holes that show the gi underneath.

Kimono-a long, loose robe with large sleeves that is tied by the waist with a sash, called an _obi_. Men and women can wear it. In this time, men can wear gis and hakamas instead if they were samurai, but women typically only wore kimonos.

Nameless Card-A Sakura Card that Sakura created; there is no Clow Card version. Sakura created it from her tears after learning that Syaoran was leaving Japan to return home in Hong Kong. Little is known about the card and its powers.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Onmitsu-Ninja

Saa na-Who knows?

Shishō-Master; the manga stated that it is used in specific situations when a student addresses their swords master (and implies the sword style of study in question is made up of only one student and master), but today it is used more broadly.

Shoji-the name of the sliding doors in Japan (as opposed to a Western door that opens and closes on a hinge)

* * *

It is stated somewhere within the CCS anime or manga (I searched for the exact location but I couldn't find it) that the disaster Clow Reed foretold wasn't Eriol testing Sakura to see if she was worthy enough to be a Cardcaptor. I theorize that the disaster might refer to Tsubasa Chronicles, but I don't think what the disaster is, is specially stated anywhere… so I have it be the world going out of magical balance, which is what Shishio is inadvertently doing by his takeover of Japan and bringing the Cardcaptor and Kero into the Meiji era. If you have any questions, or something didn't make sense/wasn't clear enough, feel free to ask me.

So what's up with that kiss? Totally didn't happen in the manga (though it should of! I mean, come on Shishio and Yumi do it, why not Kenshin and Kaoru? But I could go on and on about that…). Kenshin and Kaoru's kiss is essentially their kiss from Reflection, moved to during the Kyoto arc instead of in the last arc. I was wondering if I should have the kiss be after Shishio was defeated, but then it's pretty much the end, and the focus is elsewhere. So I have it during the rooftop scene.

It's likely, but not definite that I will have to babysit young children this weekend. In that case the chances of next chapter being posted from two weeks from now are quite high. I wish I could give you a definite answer, but I'm afraid I'm unable to due to the circumstances.

Hi, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad that you're excited for this chapter, that you enjoy it enough to want to know Kero's secrets. I hope it satisfying and clear in the answers it gave. As always, thanks for the review!

Hello, Kura! I kept on going back and shortening it and changing the last chapter so I'm glad you liked it. I understand about your nickname now, and will call you Kura. :) I'm happy that you understand about me babysitting. The only reason it will affect my writing is because I'll be babysitting over a period of several days, instead of just one. And of course! If you have any other questions I'll answer them as best as I can. Thanks for your review!

Next Chapter: Despite their newfound closeness, Sakura and Syaoran will be torn apart when Syaoran is kidnapped! Shishio's magicians (aka some members of the Juppongatana) have set parts of Kyoto on fire, and it's up to Kenshin, Sano, Saitō, Sakura, and everyone to put a stop to Shishio destroying the world. But not everything in Kyoto is as it seems…

I'll see all you guys in the next chapter! Thanks for reading and stick around for the beginning of the climax!


	24. Kyoto Burns!

Fortunately for everyone, I didn't get to babysit last weekend so this chapter is posted on time! To better follow the story, I encourage you to google image Nijō Castle, a castle in Kyoto, to see what the arc above the entrance looks like. Enjoy, everyone!

Disclaimer: Fate is not so kind to me as to let more own Rurouni Kenshin and Cardcaptor Sakura.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Kyoto Burns!

Something was wrong. Syaoran could feel it in his gut. _But why?_ Sakura embraced Syaoran tighter, the two of them hugging outside the Aoi-Ya. _There's nothing wrong…_ Just as he thought that, his chest twisted. _M-Magic?! Some of my magic is working again? I sense something but what is it telling me…?_

All of a sudden Sakura froze in his arms. Without seeing, Syaoran instinctively knew that something large was looming behind them, poised to strike. Syaoran pushed Sakura to the ground, allowing himself to be the target of death instead of Sakura.

When Sakura saw what was about to attack Syaoran, Sakura screamed in fear, "SYAORAN-KUN!"

A massive hand clamped around Syaoran's chest and stomach and squeezed for all it was worth. Syaoran grimaced in pain as he felt his ribs painfully compressed under the pressure.

A deep booming voice resounded from the darkness behind them. "Ah, Cardcaptor. Descendent of Clow Reed." A man stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the torches surrounding the inn. He wore unusual clothes and a bandana over his eyes that bore an eye motif. In one hand he carried a massive spear. His back bore a large turtle designed shield. He tilted his head back as he looked down at Sakura and Syaoran, an evil grin on his face. "We finally meet."

Gathering her courage, Sakura yelled, "Let Syaoran-kun go!"

Sakura clasped her key shaped pendant, about to release it and transform it into her wand, but the man with the bandana smirked, "I wouldn't do that, princess."

At that moment something sharp tapped the skin under Syaoran's chin. Syaoran heard a guttural laugh come from behind him.

Turning his head to the side as much as he could with something sharp at his neck, Syaoran beheld the strangest sight in all of his life. A large man held Syaoran in its meaty massive hand. His body shape was comparable to a fat ape. He had a huge smile, showing all of his teeth, which when combined with his lifeless black eyes, made him quite unnerving and intimidating. On each of his fingers were a mini metal blades that extended past his fingertips, acting almost as though his fingernails were sharpened to kill and made of metal.

Jabbing a thumb at Syaoran, the spear wielding man said, "Unless you don't want your little friend's blood staining the ground, you won't use any magic." Sakura grimaced, obviously frustrated at her inability to help Syaoran.

"Li-kun!"

Syaoran looked up to see Kenshin running towards him. Kaoru, Sano, Saitō, Misao, Aoshi, and all of the other Aoi-Ya onmitsu followed after Kenshin's heels. Everyone stopped a few yards behind Sakura, weapons drawn and ready for battle.

Pointing his sakabatō at the two men who held Syaoran captive, Kenshin demanded in a low voice, "Who are you?"

Kero, who flew by Kenshin's side, angrily shouted, "Yeah and if you knew what was best for you, you'll let Syaoran go!"

The man with the large shield studied the two for a long moment before he answered. "I am Usui Uonuma, a blind swordsman and magician. And this is Iwanbō," he said gesturing to the man who held Syaoran in his grip. "He's a dumb as they come but then again that makes for the most loyal of servants." Turning to Iwanbō, Usui grinned, "Isn't that right?" Iwanbō chuckled again, squeezing Syaoran harder.

Stepping forward, Yahiko swung his shinai. "Kenshin and Sakura are more than willing to fight Shishio whenever he wants! So there's no point in taking Li hostage!"

"Ah, but there you'd be wrong, brat," Usui countered. "Apparently, Sōjirō discovered that this boy, like the Cardcaptor, comes from the future and is quite a powerful magician. With the Clow Book's magic and his own magic, Shishio was able to bring the Cardcaptor and the Sun Guardian into this time. But this Clow Reed descendant traveled to this time all on his own. Shishio ordered us to bring this brat to him, so that he can drag out the answers from the boy. Even if the runt doesn't confess, in the event that he becomes the next Cardcaptor after the Cardcaptor dies, Shishio will just kill him."

Syaoran gnashed his teeth. The Nameless Card he had used to follow Sakura in the past was a symbol of his dedication to her. There was no way he was going to hand the card over. Syaoran glared at Usui and yelled, "You can torture me for all I care! You can kill me! I'm not telling you monsters anything!"

Usui threw his head back and laughed, the sound of his sadistic mirth echoing through the night. A shiver to travel down Syaoran's spine despite his previous bravado.

Sakura gasped, horrified. "Syaoran-kun, don't! Don't say such things!"

Trying to block Sakura's distress from his mind, Syaoran thought, _Yes… this is the way it's supposed to be. There's nothing I can do to stop these guys from beating me up for the answers they want out of me. And it'll probably be too late for me before Sakura and the kidnapper can rescue me. But at least…_ Syaoran closed his eyes, resignation filling him. … _maybe I can distract enough of Shishio's men that Sakura and the kidnapper can have an easier time getting to and fighting Shishio. Yes, that's it… This is the strength I need, the way I can protect Sakura without being by her side…_

"Don't be a hypocrite!" A furious voice yelled.

Startled, Syaoran opened his eyes and looked up to see Kenshin glaring at him. He continued, "Self-sacrifice for the sake of others is meaningless. No-it's selfish." Kenshin's voice softened as he smiled, "Isn't that right, silly child?"

Syaoran's mind flashed back to the conversation he had with Kenshin by the riverside as they stayed with Hiko. How Syaoran had promised to call Kenshin a stupid kidnapper whenever he was doing something stupid and selfish. To hear his own words thrown back at him… _He really does care about me. I can't possibly call him selfish now._ After chuckling quietly to himself, Syaoran returned Kenshin's gaze, determination shinning in his eyes. _…Thank you. I won't forget it this time. I'll come back to you guys, you'll see!_

"Done saying your goodbyes?" Usui quipped. He exhaled and shook his head, "I still don't believe a child like you could have the power to travel through time." In a sudden burst of fury and jealousy, Usui punched Syaoran's cheek. "Third rate magicians only deserve death!"

"That's it, you jackass!" Sano cried. Sano and Sakura rushed forward to free Syaoran.

"No, wait!" Kero shouted.

Misao threw a dozen kunai at Usui. He greeted them with a smug grin. The knives appeared to hang suspended in the air in front of his face before they clattered noisily to the ground. A collective gasp rose from the group.

Usui's ice cold voice rumbled, "I grow tired of this game, especially when I am required to be elsewhere soon. Listen up, Cardcaptor, Battōsai. Shishio is waiting to fight both of you, if you prove yourself worthy opponents by reaching him by dawn. If you don't make it in time, Shishio will begin his domination of Japan. But to make things even more interesting I disobeyed Shishio and gave the police a description of the Cardcaptor's appearance. They posted wanted pictures of her everywhere. Now everyone will be chasing after her, wanting to bring her in for questioning. Tell me, Cardcaptor, Battōsai…" Usui grinned maniacally, "…do you have what it takes to traverse a burning city, avoiding all the police, citizens, and Shishio's men lying in wait for you, and overcome all the traps hidden there? The fate of Japan-no the entire world-hinges on your success."

With his declaration hanging in the air, Usui and Iwanbō jumped backwards. Before Syaoran could even cry out, the darkness of the night swallowed them whole.

* * *

As soon as Usui, Iwanbō, and Syaoran disappeared from sight, Sakura fell to her knees. Tears welled up in her eyes as her brain replayed the scene over again in her mind. _Syaoran-kun said… he said that they might… they might…_

"Sakura-chan." A warm hand held Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura turned her head to the side to see Kenshin kneeling beside her. Resolve burned in his violet eyes which contrasted with his gentle smile. "Don't worry. We'll rescue him. But first, we need to stop Shishio from destroying the world."

Sakura stared at Kenshin in wonderment for a moment before his words sunk in. She wiped her eyes and stood up, gripping her key pendant tightly in her hand. "Right. Let's go." _Syaoran-kun promised he would always find me, and I have to defeat Shishio so I can confess my feelings to him. Like Tōya said, I don't have time to be scared!_

Behind her, Kero was flying around ordering the others, especially the onmitsu. Sano and Saitō approached them. Sano run up to Sakura from behind and roughly patted her back. "Hey, you okay? Don't worry. We'll get him back and then we can go out and kick some as-I mean butt. Won't we, Saitō?" He grinned. Saitō rolled his eyes.

Sakura smiled, the warmth of her friends' concern for her well-being washing over her. She assured, "I'm all right. But we have to hurry."

Brandishing his shinai, Yahiko stepped forward. "I'm coming with you!" he declared.

"No," Kenshin mandated. "You need to help the others in putting out the fires, rescuing the citizens, and stopping Shishio's men. You must protect the people of Kyoto."

"But-" Yahiko sputtered, however he was silenced by Kaoru's hand on his shoulder. When Yahiko looked up at her, she shook her head.

"Kenshin's right. It would be better if we stayed behind." Kaoru seemed a bit sad as she said this, but when she turned to Kenshin a warm smile was on her face. "Kenshin… let's go back home to Tokyo, _ne_?"

Kenshin returned Kaoru's smile with one just as sincere. He nodded, " _Aa_."

Sakura's eyes flickered back and forth between the two, studying the expressions they were giving each other. Sakura murmured, "Aw."

Kenshin and Kaoru looked away. Saitō rolled his eyes and huffed, annoyed. Fortunately, Kenshin and Kaoru were spared from further embarrassment by Misao's arrival.

"Cardcaptor-sama. Himura. Everyone." She turned to Kenshin, looked him straight in the eye, and jabbed her finger in his chest. "I still have to take you on that tour around Kyoto! So I don't want to hear about you dying, you hear?! And Cardcaptor-sama…" Misao looked down at Sakura, her features schooled in a rare serious expression. "…you've proven just how strong of a magician, and how strong of a person, you are. I'm not jealous or upset that you're the Cardcaptor anymore, not when you're better than me. And don't worry about what you told me earlier." Misao threw a glance over her shoulder at Aoshi. He had been a silent shadow throughout the entire affair, and even now he stood apart from the rest. "Aoshi and I will stay behind and do the best we can." Turning back to Sakura, Misao gave the girl a thumbs up, "So don't you give it anything but your best, either!"

Hearing the echo of Syaoran's words coming from Misao, Sakura couldn't help but smile. "Yes, I got it!"

Kero swooped in over by Sakura's head. "Everyone knows the plan?" Growing serious, Kenshin and Saitō placed their hands on their sword hilts. Sano cracked his fingers. "You ready then?" Kaoru nodded. Tsubame hugged Yahiko goodbye, causing the boy to blush furiously. The four onmitsu of the Oniwabanshū drew their weapons and grinned.

Satisfied, Kero nodded at Sakura. Sakura held her hands out in front her, a magical circle lighting up beneath her. She began to chant, "O key that conceals the power of darkness reveal your true nature to me, by my power. I command you, _release_!" Responding to the swell of magic from Sakura, her key shaped pendant changed into a wand and her kimono transformed into her Cardcaptor outfit. After throwing a card up into the air, Sakura twirled the wand like a baton in her hand. "Card created by Clow, lend your powers to my Key. Transfer the magic dwelling within this card to my Key and grant me your power!" She swung the wand into the Clow Card. "Fly!"

Wings grew on the end of the wand. Sakura jumped onto the floating wand. Behind her were her family and friends, ahead of her was a dark city, lit by the light of fires and filled with the screams of men. Somewhere beyond was the catalyst of the destruction of the world: Shishio Makoto. However, Sakura had found the courage to charge headfirst into the battle.

"It's time," she intoned, her hands gripping the wand. Leaning forward, Sakura burst into the streets of Kyoto, everyone running behind her.

"It's time to save the world."

* * *

Wind whipping through her short brown hair, Sakura contemplated what was required of her in the upcoming fight against Shishio. The plans Kero and her had discussed in whispers by themselves in a dark corner of the Aoi-Ya ran through her mind. She had never used so much magic at once… she honestly had no idea that she even could utilize that much magic without dying, but Kero was right in saying that it might be the only way to defeat Shishio. _And… it's not just my magic. Ken-nii will be there, and Kero-chan. Plus I have everyone's support with me._ Despite her attempt to reassure herself, Sakura couldn't shake off a nagging feeling, like there was something she was forgetting…

It had been about ten minutes since she, Kero, Kenshin, Sano, and Saitō had left the Aoi-Ya and split up from Kaoru, Yahiko, and the other former Oniwabanshū members. As according to the plan they had discussed, Kenshin's group was to discover where Shishio was hiding and take him down while the others were to deal with the fires and Shishio's men. For her safety, Kenshin had ordered her to fly above his, Sano's, and Saitō's heads, so people were less likely to see her. However, it seemed Kenshin needn't have worried. Despite running through the streets for so long, they hadn't encountered a single Shishio minion, and the police they met were far too busy to take much notice of them.

"Sakura?"

"Hm?" Sakura turned her head to the left so see Kero flying beside her.

"Something's wrong," Kero replied, his voice grave. "Da fact that we haven't run inta any of Shishio's men isn't right. I know Saitō ordered a curfew fer the people living in Kyoto, but there should still be police fighting and arresting da guys Shishio sent ta burn Kyoto. I'm going ta fly ahead ta see what's up. I'll come back ta let ya know if I find anything."

Sakura hesitated, glancing at Kenshin. Personally, Sakura disliked the idea of Kero being on his own. "Be careful," she whispered.

Seeing Sakura's nervousness, Kero smiled at her. "Ya're doing great so far. Keep it up."

Touched, Sakura stared at Kero. It wasn't often that Kero handed out complements or encouragement; he was too busy bragging about himself. A slow smile grew on her face. "You too." Kero nodded, waved a paw at her, and disappeared in the darkness ahead.

Trying to distract her herself from her anxiety, Sakura turned back to the city sprawled below her. Flying fifty feet in the air allowed Sakura to direct Kenshin and the others to the large fire they had seen in the distance. Thankfully, though Sakura saw some other fires throughout the city, she hadn't seen any fires as large as that one. Following Sakura's directions, and Saitō and Kenshin's knowledge of the back streets of Kyoto, they entered the massive alleyways of Kyoto. Fifteen minutes later, Sakura tried to tell Kenshin to take a right, but when she looked down, she saw Kenshin, Saitō, and Sano had stopped for some reason. Dropping to the ground, Sakura listened to them.

"No, Battōsai," Saitō said, growing impatient. He pointed down a branching alley, "We have to go here. This path is familiar to me. I recognized it immediately. It leads to where the old Shinsengumi headquarters were. The fire isn't that far from there."

Kenshin shook his head. "No, it doesn't. That leads in the complete opposite direction, headings towards Ginkaku temple, that it does. We need to go left."

"I think I should know where the Shinsengumi headquarters during the Bakumatsu is!"

"And this one wouldn't? Just because it's been ten years doesn't mean-"

Cocking her head, confused, Sakura said, "But we're supposed to go right." From her high vantage point, she had seen that all of the other paths looped into each other.

"No!" Saitō and Kenshin both exclaimed. Kenshin said, "That leads to the Kamogawa River!" at the same time Saitō shouted, "The Gion district is in that direction!" Kenshin and Saitō glared at each other.

Throwing up his hands in the air, Sano sat down on the ground. "Let me know when they're done arguing like children."

Sighing, Kenshin waved his hand in dismissal. He turned to Sakura and huffed, "We don't have time for this. Sakura-chan, where's Kero?"

Sakura opened her mouth to answer, but then she found she didn't have an answer. Kero had never checked back with her. Not even once. Frantic, Sakura gripped her wand and searched for Kero with her magic. But the massive amount of magic in the city overwhelmed her senses. "I-I… I don't know!" Sakura cried.

"Great!" Sano said sarcastically. "We can't even agree on where to go on from here, so how can we find someone missing?"

"What direction did he head towards when we first split up?" Kenshin asked.

Sano began to answer, but his voice faded to the background as Sakura tried to understand the problem. The things Kenshin and Saitō had said… something Usui had told them… there was a clue there. Sakura was certain. But a clue to what?

Suddenly, Sakura felt a spike in magic on the path they had just taken. Her head snapping up, Sakura pointed, "There! Kero's over there!" Sakura jumped onto her wand and soared down the path, leading the way for Kenshin, Saitō, and Sano.

Despite Sakura's high speed, in a few minutes Kenshin had caught up to Sakura. "Sakura-chan, are you sure this is right?"

"Yes, I'm sure, I…" Sakura happened to glance behind her. Saitō and Sano had disappeared. She gasped loudly, horrified.

Following her gaze, Kenshin looked over his shoulder. Suppressing a noise of frustration, Kenshin halted. He called out, "Sanosuke! Saitō!" No one answered.

Sakura stopped as well and landed beside Kenshin. Kenshin ran forward a bit and called them again, but to no avail. In wonderment, Kenshin asked, "What happened? What's going on? Why is…?"

… _why is everyone disappearing? Why…_ Sakura remembered Kenshin and Saitō's argument, their inability to locate the right path causing a memory to come to the surface. A memory of a sword wielding man cast in the shadows of the sun flashed in Sakura's mind. _Oh… oh my goodness._ The realization of what was happening hit her like a ton of bricks, making her sink to her knees.

"Sanosuke! Saitō! Where are-" Kenshin turned around to see Sakura kneeling on a dirty ground, blankly staring into space. "Sakura-chan!" Kenshin shouted, concerned. He ran towards her side. "What's wrong?"

"Sōjirō…" Sakura mumbled. "After he took the card he never wrote his name…"

"What?" Kenshin asked, missing what Sakura had said.

"…it's running around causing trouble… trapping everyone…"

"Sakura-chan!" Kenshin shouted. He put his hand on Sakura's shoulder and shook her slightly. "Snap out of it! Tell this one what's wrong."

Sakura looked up at Kenshin with wide fearful eyes. She breathed, "It's Maze. Maze is loose in Kyoto."

Kenshin stared at her. "But then that means… We won't be able to find Kero and the others… the other onmitsu won't be able to stop the fires, nor the police… Shishio's men will be able to attack key points of Kyoto without resistance…" Covering his mouth in horror, Kenshin realized, "We won't find Shishio in time."

Sakura bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut. "No," she whispered, "No, we won't."

* * *

"'Go left,' he said. 'Go right,' she said. No, stupid, that way leads to a river, not a temple. Well guess what, guys? I went left and then right and I don't see a river or a temple! I don't even see you anymore!"

Of course, Sano knew that wasn't exactly what Kenshin, Sakura, and Saitō had said, nonetheless he was quite upset he was lost for the second time in about as many days. "When I get see that jerk again…" Sano muttered under his breath as he ran alone through the empty back streets of Kyoto, "…I'm going to do a whole lot more to him than destroy his office. Then I'm going to punch Kenshin again for good measure and force Sakura to recreate my damn zanbatō or so help me I might just decide to runaway to my hometown and knockout two hundred people and then get wanted by the police so naturally I would have to leave Japan and travel the world and no one will hear from me for over five years. Maybe THEN they'll miss me! So there!"

After a few more minutes of running, Sano exited the alleyways, much to his surprise. He hadn't been to Kyoto for years-not since he was a boy during the Bakumatsu-but he knew the network of backstreets was vast and the chances of them leading him to the area where all the hot shot rich people lived were quite slim. Disoriented, Sano slowed his place, scanning the streets to confirm what he brain had already knew. _Man I knew the low life scum of the Meiji government all had filthy hidden lives, but to have a direct shortcut to the backstreets… something's wrong._

Sano wasn't surprised to see, however, the many police officers running this way and that, all but in a blind panic. It made sense that many officers would be placed to guard the city's richest, but their hysteria seemed out of place, considering the lack of Shishio's presence. The officers frantically shouted to each other, confused and afraid. A few commandeering officers stopped and demanded answers from a few junior men about Shishio's men, but no one seemed to have any answers. They were trapped, the subordinate officers exclaimed. Apparently they heard small explosions in the distance, but no one had seen any of Shishio's men. Nor were the officers able to locate the exact position of the explosions.

 _Trapped, eh?_ Ignoring the chaos around him, Sano shoved his hands in his pockets and thought. Despite his penchant for getting lost, Sano had been lost in the forest to Kyoto for _days_. Kenshin and Saitō had disagreed on the layout of Kyoto, a city they both knew well, and now somehow he was separated from them… _Oh duh._ Sano thought. _It's some sort of magic maze._

Well that made sense. Shishio could trap the policemen away from wherever and whatever his true targets in Kyoto were. The city could be his within the hour, let alone by whatever he was planning to do at dawn if Kenshin and Sakura couldn't reach him in time. _And they won't be able to with this maze._ Chikishō, Sano inwardly cursed, _think, bone head! If I were Shishio what would I attack?_

Then all at once it hit him. _Of course!_ Sano took off at a dead run. _I can only hope I'm not too late._

After fifteen minutes, Sano ran into a wall. Literally.

"Ow, what the…?" Picking himself off the ground, Sano realized that the wall he had run into was invisible. Some sort of magic from the maze was preventing him from moving forward.

"Grr…" Sano growled. He tried punching it, but his fist only bounced off. Brute force wasn't going to work. It was then that Sano remembered Misao mentioning a Maze Clow Card. Kero had said that Shishio was using the Clow Cards for his evil will, right? So someone was controlling this card and keeping the police men out. To overcome the magic, it seemed he had to do something drastic and desperate, something Sano had never done before.

Diplomacy.

"Hey!" Sano shouted, his hands cupping his mouth. "Shishio wants a fair fight with Kenshin and Sakura, right? Well then damn it, I want my fair fight, too! Hiding behind magic is a coward's way out! If you think that you can't win against me, then continue hiding, weakling!"

Silence. _Augh, why did I just do that? I feel so stupid, I mean the chances of the guy behind the maze sitting here guarding the entrance to the place they're going to attack to make sure that none of the police officers had magic strong enough to get through the barrier and stop their plans is so small when he could-_

A sudden movement on a nearby roof caught Sano's attention. But when he looked, there was nothing there. _Oh, well maybe my explanation made sense after all._ Sano's grin widened when he saw a bit of distortion in front of him, the barrier disappearing. _Now we're talking._ Sano resumed his run until he reached the entrance of one of the most important buildings in Kyoto.

Nijō Castle, the heart of Kyoto's administrators and government leaders.

Surrounding the castle was a large, but low, stone wall that stretched on into the distance on each side. A wide moat ran along the length of the wall. A bridge crossing the moat led to a massive arched gate that granted access to the inner courtyard of the castle. The arched traditional styled gate was imposing and magnificent, standing at about twenty five feet above the bridge tall on four pillars. The arch almost resembled a large traditional Japanese roof. Beyond the wall and moat was another circular wall fortification and within that was the castle. The castle was made even more ominous by the large dark swirling clouds in the sky. On the bridge were a large number of Shishio's men carrying weapons and large lit torches. In the center of them all sitting on the ground was a very familiar person, praying. Next to the man was a short man with spiky jet black hair, who was wrapped in a large black cloak. When the praying man stood up, he looked directly into Sano's eyes.

"I have been waiting for you. I almost gave the order for them to attack and burn the castle down."

It was Anji. The priest who had saved Sano from the forest maze on the way to Kyoto.

Before Sano could react, Anji nodded to the shorter man beside him. In a flash of a flame and heat, the man disappeared. After blinking away the spots from his sight, Sano lowered his arm from his eyes. "Anji…? Attack the castle? Then you're working for Shishio? But why? Why would a Buddhist priest work for a killer like Shishio?"

Anji's eyes were chilly as he explained, "He and I have similar goals. I wish to destroy the wicked and corrupt Meiji government, as you once told me when we met in the forest outside Kyoto. I see now those words were false."

Surprised by Anji's accusation, Sano blinked. _Destroy the wicked and corrupt Meiji government…_ He lowered his head, his eyes covered by shadows. A slow smile grew on his face before a low chuckle escaped from his chest.

Furious, Anji growled, "What's so funny?"

 _Because you're just like me._ Sano answered in his mind. Still grinning, Sano put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. Though there was a smile on his face, there was none in his voice. "I want the Meiji government to burn, too. They made this world a living hell, so it's only fitting that they themselves should burn in the afterlife."

"Ah." Anji smiled. "My apologies. It seems I misread you. I was informed that you were a friend of Battōsai, but now it's clear where your true loyalties lie." He waved a hand to one of the men holding a torch. The man stepped forward, relinquished his torch to Anji, and vanished within the crowd. Holding out the torch to Sano, Anji's booming voice announced, "Then come! Join us as we exact our revenge!"

"Revenge, eh…?" Sano mumbled. In the near silence of the night, Anji waited patiently for Sano, a vicious smirk on his face. Seeing it, Sano felt compelled forward. With deliberate slowness, Sano walked towards Anji until they were only a couple feet away from each other. The heat from the fire of the torch was hot enough to make sweat slid down Sano's face. But the flames in Anji's eyes burned hotter still, so much so they seemed to crackle and light up…

Staring at Anji, Sano raised his hand to the end of the wooden torch. Anji's smile widened. "You're making the right choice."

"…You're right. I am." And with those words, Sano gripped the torch, yanked it out of Anji's hand, and threw it to the side, igniting a nearby tree. "Those who want to burn the Meiji government deserve to burn themselves!"

Shocked, Anji gasped, "What-?!"

Cracking his knuckles, Sano explained, "Don't get me wrong. I hate the government with all my heart. But tearing it down without any thought of the innocent lives you've destroyed in the process… that's just not my game. A friend of mine one told me that the revolution isn't over. And he's right. He's taught me something. That even if there are people who will lie, steal, betray, and kill, there are just as many people who are kind and brave enough to still hope and work towards a better future. And…" Sano raised his fist and drew it back. "…if Buddha has abandoned Kyoto to fire tonight, then I'll be the one to judge your sins with my fists!

"Futae no Kiwami! Mastery of Two Layers!"

Sano slammed his fist into Anji's chest dead on. Anji's eyes widened.

Futae no Kiwami, the Mastery of Two Layers, was a technique that Anji himself had taught Sano when they met in the forest outside Kyoto. When one punched an object, the object carried its own resistance. Some of the force of the blow was lost. The secret of the Mastery of the Two Layers allowed one to circumvent that and attack objects with all of one's force. First one punched an object with their second knuckles. In the next instant, when the force of the first blow met with the resistance of the object, the person folded their hand and punched the rock with their third knuckles. The second attack hit the rock with all of its force; there was no resistance, and it allows the user to completely obliterate objects. While on the way to Kyoto, Sano had practiced the technique over and over again until he had mastered it. There was no way Anji could survive the attack.

Anji was still as stone. He hadn't reacted to Sano's attack at all. Finally he whispered, "Turn back…"

"Eh?"

"…or else I'll have no choice but to release the beast within me…" Anji crushed his fist into Sano's ribcage, using the Futae no Kiwami. Sano went flying off the bridge and hit the ground a few yards away from the end of the bridge.

Coughing up a bit of blood, Sano sat up and stared at Anji. _That was so much stronger than my Futae no Kiwami. But how? I thought I mastered it…_

Sano picked himself up just in time to see Anji's eyes glow yellow. He slammed his fist into bridge, unleashing the Futae no Kiwami again. "…And kill you!"

To Sano's astonishment, a web of cracks appeared in the front half of the bridge, traveling towards Sano. Sparks and light flashed from between the cracks. When the cracks hit the end of the bridge, the ground broke into fissures, causing dirt and debris to fly.

But not just debris.

Lighting arced from between the cracks. When the fissures reached Sano, Sano scrambled to jump out of the way, however he was too slow. A branch of lighting arched out of the ground and hit Sano's foot. Sano's foot began to spasm, causing him to fall to the ground instead of landing on his feet. _Dammit, that really hurts!_ After a few moments his foot returned to normal and Sano stood up.

"Wha… what the hell was _that_?" Sano asked, bewildered.

"The Thunder." Anji replied. "A Clow Card that can control lighting that was given to me by Shishio. It should be more than enough to burn the castle down …and to send you to the next world. Turn back while you still can."

 _Lightning… and the Futae no Kiwami together? That's utterly crazy! …Sounds like a new kind of thrill._ Sano grinned, "On the contrary," Sano charged headfirst at Anji, "…this'll be the best fight of my life!"

Anji sighed, disappointed. For the second time, Anji punched the ground, electricity charging the bridge. When Sano reached the edge of the bridge, he jumped forward. With a massive cracking noise and blasts of heat, the half of the bridge in front of Anji blew apart, large stones flying everywhere. Arcs of lightning from the broken bridge rose into the air, lighting up the night. The scent of ozone choked the air, the stones blasted into the air with a force of a cannon, the water from the moat below spraying everywhere… and Sano hung suspended in the air in the middle of it all, his happi blowing in the breeze, and a maniacal grin on his face.

Jumping over the broken debris of the bridge and the lightning, Sano pulled his fist back. If Anji could only combine the Thunder card and the Futae no Kiwami to attack long range, the solution was to get close to him. And the only way to make Sano's Futae no Kiwami stronger than its original master was to have gravity add to the force. Anji still remained crouched over form his attack, his right fist to the bridge. _Now I got him!_

Sano flew down towards Anji, screaming, "Futae no Kiwami! Mastery of Two Layers!"

Sano's fist crashed into Anji, gravity making the force of his attack explosive. _Thank you, man…_ Sano thought in that one moment _…for teaching me your technique. I'll make it mine and use it to get the justice, not revenge, that you wanted so much…_

Anji looked up sharply at Sano, making Sano's blood run cold. Anji's fist met Sano's hand. Anji had used the Futae no Kiwami with his free hand at Sano's fist, the force of the two Futae no Kiwami meeting each other, effectively cancelling Sano's attack. _H-He can… use the Futae no Kiwami with both hands?!_

In the moment that Anji's and Sano's eyes locked, Sano saw not a priest, but a demon. Anji hissed in a low voice, "This world is filled with too many vultures and scavengers that are not worth saving. Youare one of them."

Before Sano could react, Anji grabbed Sano's happi, spun him around, and threw Sano at one of the gate's pillars behind them. Sano struck the pillar with the force of a charging rhino. The pillar splintered and cracked. Sano slid down the pillar and fell onto the bridge, his blood staining the ground.

A large moaning sound came from the gate. Shishio's men began to mummer among themselves, afraid that the gate might fall on top of them.

"Enough!" Anji roared, silencing the men. Lowering his voice, Anji addressed his men. "It will not be long before the government official scum hiding in the castle realize that the castle's defenses will not protect them and they will decide to attack. I will strike the castle with lighting from the sky while you send the signal to the others to destroy the other gates, trapping them inside." Anji turned to one of the Shishio's men who held a flare. "When I give the signal." Anji raised his hands, and the dark clouds above the castle began to swirl and grow larger. It wasn't long before lighting arched between the clouds, begging to be unleashed. A few lightning bolts came down far enough to almost hit the top of the castle.

Anji nodded to the man. He rose the flare.

Sano opened his eyes, watching the exchange. He had heard Anji's earlier words, but it took a second for them to register. Glancing upwards, Sano saw the sky broken apart by lightning. The thunder nearly deafened him. All at once rain poured from the heavens, soaking everyone to the bone. Having been a fighting merchant most of his life, Sano preferred straight up honest fights between men. But magic twisted the fabric of reality, and if Anji wasn't stopped soon, his magic would help contribute to the destruction of the world, if the massive storm wasn't already an indicator. Sano balled his fist. _It seems I have to resort to that…_

Shishio's henchman was about to fire the flare when a large crack shot through the area. Confused, the men looked around for the source of the noise. One man pointed to the sky and screamed. Sano grinned.

The pillars of the gate began to crumble and fall away. Groaning, the arch broke away from the pillars and fell forward, heading directly towards Anji and his men. Thrown into a panic, the men stampeded to the other end of the bridge only to realize that Anji had destroyed the front half of it earlier, when he faced Sano. The dark waters of the moat greeted them.

They were trapped.

Then their screaming began. A few desperate ones jumped into the deep moat, preferring the possibility of drowning instead of being crushed to death. But amidst all the chaos, Anji was calm. Anji turned to look at Sano standing proudly under the gate, rubbing his bleeding knuckles. "Is that all you got?" Anji intoned, a hint of disappointment and disgust in his voice. The priest raised his hand to the falling arch and lightning burst from his hand. The lightning struck the arch, blowing it into pieces…

…just as Sano blew the remaining half of the bridge into dust.

A collective scream arose from Shishio's men before the water silenced them. Sano only saw one glance of Anji's surprised face before he plunged into the water. Sano smiled, holding his wounded and bleeding fingers. "Mastery of the _Three_ Layers."

If gravity added to the Mastery of the Three Layers wasn't strong enough to overcome its master, then Sano needed a new attack to defeat Anji. Or a new twist on an old move. After the second attack of the Futae no Kiwami, Sano added a new layer: spreading out his fingers. This third blow, meant two, not one, attacks had all of their force transferred into the object. Blowing a bridge into smithereens was nothing.

Sano chuckled, "Let's see you do lighting magic in the water."

Sano was about to jump into the water and finish the fight, when the air in front of him exploded. In a blinding white hot flame of light, lightning struck the water where Anji and Shishio's men had fallen into. The sharp sense of ozone quadrupled and the water bubbled and hissed, steam rising from the moat. Sano flew backwards into the courtyard of the castle. He lay on the ground completely stunned, unable to hear anything. Slowly, he picked himself up, and shook his head. _What… what the hell happened?_

The smoldering remains of the bridge and bubbling water were all that Sano saw. A few broken spears and swords floated up to the surface, but that was it. There was no sign of Anji or of Shishio's men. Gasping, Sano felt a sick sense of horror churn his stomach. Lightning from the natural storm Anji had created has struck the water, electrocuting everyone who had fallen in the water.

The very storm Anji had created to destroy the government had destroyed him.

 _Did I…? Did I just…_ Sano fell to his knees. _…helped a massacre occur? N-No… I can't believe…_ Sano hung his head, shadows covering his face.

The water in the moat continued to fizz and bubble. The bubbles on the surface grew in intensity until something broke the surface. And another and another. When Sano heard the splashing (his hearing had recovered), Sano looked up, shocked. One after another Shishio's men floated to the surface, failing and splashing.

 _But… but how?! They were all electrocuted! They should all be dead!_

A large splashing noise drew Sano's attention to his right. A bandaged hand reached out of the water, searching for something to hold onto. Sano blinked. Then he smiled. Sano grabbed the hand's wrist with both of his hands and pulled. Gasping and spluttering, Anji rose out of the water, coughing up water and rock dust. Sano gave him space until Anji recovered. When Anji looked up at Sano there was a question in Sano's eyes. Anji smiled faintly and then turned away.

"The Thunder," Anji answered. "Although the lighting that struck the water was not my direct creation, but nature's, the Clow Card still protected everyone's lives."

On the other side of the moat, a large white spiky beast stared at Sano and Anji. Then he threw his head back and roared, lighting striking the ground around him in a circle. The flash of lightning was so bright Sano had to cover his eyes. When he opened them again, the beast was gone. Turning to Anji, Sano asked, "And what was that?"

"The Thunder's natural form. I used too much of my magic to fight you and help create that storm above the castle. With so little magic left in me, Thunder no longer recognizes me as its master." Anji lifted his head to meet Sano's gaze. "And that Mastery of the Three Layers attack I saw you use on the pillars and the bridge… that is far stronger than my own technique. You have beaten both my magic and my fists. Without either I cannot complete my mission and take over the castle. And yet…" Anji lowered his head and set his jaw in anger. His fist clutched something small and black in his hand. A memorial tablet, Sano realized with surprise. "…I cannot lose yet… Not yet…!"

 _Ah… so that's why…_ Sano put his hand in his pocket and looked up into the stormy sky, letting the rain run down his face. He murmured, "Those people you lost… who were killed by the Meiji government… they love and care about you, right? You think their souls roam the world unable to rest until the government is destroyed. But if they really care about you then all they want if for you to be happy. Anji, are you truly happy? Killing people, getting revenge… is that what you really wanted to do all this time? You've suffered so much, but their souls won't rest and move on until the afterlife until you're happy. That's all they want."

Anji stared at Sano in shock. His mouth tried to form words but nothing came out. Anji grit his jaw and turned back to the ground, punching it with a fist. It was hard to tell with all the rain, but Sano thought he saw tears well up in his eyes.

Sano took a moment to survey all the damage that had ensued from their battle. A tree burned to the ground, the bridge lay in pieces, the beautiful and intimating arch nothing but a memory. The entrance to a two hundred year old castle was gone. But the castle and all the Meiji government officials' lives were saved.

 _To think, I've grown up just about my entire life hating the government and then when someone else tries to bring the Ishin Shishi to justice, I go and stop them and save their filthy hides._ Sano smirked at the irony. _What the hell has this world come to?_

The thunder rumbled across the sky, the storm still in full effect. Kero's voice floated through his mind. _"We could be days away from the first natural disasters from occurring..."_

Sano continued to stare at the dark clouds, dread filling him.

 _What the hell is this world heading towards?_

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Aa-An informal yes

Chikishō-Damn it; Shit

Happi- Japanese jacket that Sano wears. (I could go in more detail as a happi isn't really a jacket in the modern sense, but that's all you need to know.)

Maze-One of the Clow Cards. It has the power to trap people in mazes in dimensions that it creates. Maze's mazes are fourth dimensional, and can repair walls that have been broken, and raise walls to make them impossible for people to climb over them. It cannot be sealed from the inside. Maze has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to confuse other people.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Onmitsu-Ninja

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Thunder-One of the Clow Cards. This card is used to control thunder and lighting and Sakura uses it as such when capturing other cards.

* * *

I would like the battles with the different Juppongatana members as short and sweet as possible, even a little shorter than Sano's fight in this chapter, to keep the story from dragging along (and of course as different as possible as well-to keep things entertaining as the rest of the story has been all along). The only exception to the rule would be Sōjirō. His fight will probably be longer in length. Nijō Castle, of course, is a real castle standing in Kyoto today, which I researched about and hopefully has made its description as accurate as possible.

I am babysitting from tonight until Saturday so **next chapter will be posted two weeks from now**.

Hello, Halley Vanaria! The Nameless card being the key to the end? Maaaaaybe. I guess that would depend on what you mean by the end. And things may not be as straightforward as they seem. But I'm not at liberty to confirm or deny anything… XD Thanks for the review!

Next Chapter: Kenshin and Sakura, separated from everyone else, race to the giant fire seen in the distance of Kyoto, believing it to lead the way to Shishio. On the way there, one of the police officers recognizes Sakura… Can Kenshin and Sakura locate where Shishio is hiding before dawn arrives and Shishio tips the magical balance of the world?


	25. The War Begins!

Aaand here's the next part in the Kyoto Fire Saga! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I give thanks to the creators and anyone who made Rurouni Kenshin and Cardcaptor Sakura. Needless to say I am not included in that number.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

The War Begins!

Trying to catch his breath, Kenshin closed his eyes and focused on calming his racing heart.

"Are you okay?" A small, quiet voice asked from behind him.

Kenshin turned his head to see Sakura looking up at him, her worry evident in her eyes and in her hands that wrung her wand. Kenshin nodded at her and then resumed his post.

After about an hour on foot, Kenshin and Sakura had finally reached the other side of the city, where the large fire was located. Where Kenshin suspected one of Shishio's magicians was waiting for him. If they could defeat the magician, hopefully escaping the maze and finding the path that led to Shishio would become clear.

Kenshin leaned against the side of a house in an alley. Once prepared, Kenshin peered around the corner. Only a few streets over from the biggest fire, mass hysteria had infected the very air. The fire had long since spread to nearby houses, causing all the houses on the street to be on fire. Red hot flames roared out of the windows of the houses. The worse buildings were completely consumed with flames and beginning to collapse, fire having already eaten the support beams. Ash covered the world in black. Smoke filled the area, its tendrils choking anyone who dared approach the flames. Police men ran about, trying to evacuate the panicked citizens of nearby streets. However a few men and woman refused to budge, instead wailing over everything they had lost. The fear was so palpable and tangible Kenshin felt suffocated.

It was a madhouse.

Even so, the only path was forward. Kenshin extended his hand towards Sakura. "Take it," he ordered. "We can't be separated."

For once, Sakura complied without compliant. She jested, "The streets _are_ dangerous, huh?"

Kenshin had to suppress a laugh. "It takes until this for you to admit that?"

"Well, yeah. Otherwise they're safe."

 _Uh huh._ "Hold on tight." After taking a deep breath, Kenshin and Sakura plunged into the chaos. The screams and police whistles deafened Kenshin somewhat, causing a constant ringing in his ears. The smoke constricted his lungs. The fires cast strange glowing shadows, the world both dark and too bright at the same time. But heedless of all the distractions, the duo ran forward, weaving in and out of the crowd. A large crashing noise off to the right resounded through the area. Sakura gasped as the front half of a building splinted and crumpled into fiery dust. She slowed down, captivated by the sight.

Kenshin jerked on her arm and shouted, "Come on!" Sakura snapped out of it and ran after Kenshin.

Kenshin and Sakura turned onto another street and immediately stopped in their tracks. Before them was a battle between the police and Shishio's minions. Sakura drew up besides Kenshin while his eyes scanned for any weak points in the enemy's lines. In different circumstances, Kenshin would have joined the fray, taking out as many opponents as possible. But he had Sakura to take care of and a deadline. With only a couple hours until dawn, time was very precious.

 _There!_ To the left, near the empty vendors' stalls on the edge of the street, the lines were stretched thin. Kenshin shouted over the din, "Sakura-chan, use Fly! This one will meet you on the other side, that he will!" Sakura nodded, called upon Fly, and took to the skies. Without looking back, Kenshin unsheathed his sakabatō and entered the fray.

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūtsuisen! Ryūsōsen! Ryūkansen Kogarashi!"

Men dropped like flies before Kenshin. In the dance of steel, no one could touch Kenshin. A man tried to attack Kenshin's neck from the right. Pivoting, Kenshin blocked the sword with his sakabatō and kicked the man away with his foot. The red head spun around just in time to dodge and counter a thrust to his back. Another man down. Rinse, lather, and repeat. Kenshin was just about to defeat the last couple of Shishio's men, when a scream pierced the air.

Kenshin's heart stopped. _Sakura-chan!_

Kenshin looked up in the sky to see Sakura tumble and fall from her wand directly into the heart of the battle. Desperate, Kenshin shouted, "This one is coming!" _Don't… don't die!_

Kenshin carved a path of pain through the men, searching for Sakura. Another girl's cry broke through the night. _To the right!_ Kenshin followed the sound of Sakura's voice until he caught a glimpse of her. Behind the lines of the battle, Sakura was surrounded not by Shishio's men, but policemen. They gripped each of Sakura's arms, holding her even as she squirmed and struggled to break free.

The voices of the policemen roared over the sounds of the battle.

"This is that Cardcaptor girl that Shishio wants!"

" _Kami-sama_ , she looks strange."

"Let. Me. Go!" Sakura cried. "I didn't do anything!"

"Someone cuff her and bring her into the base. We can't let her escape. And send someone ahead to prepare a cell."

"Understood." A policeman ran down the path Kenshin and Sakura had used to get here.

One of the policemen that held Sakura's arm reached into a pocket of his and brought out a shiny handcuffs. Seeing it, Sakura jerked violently away and screamed again, tears falling down her face.

 _Sakura-chan, no!_ Kenshin took a step forward, then stopped, as blood spluttered out of his mouth. He hissed in pain as something impaled his side. Livid that someone would dare attack him and prevent him rescuing his sister, Kenshin grabbed and yanked the sword out of his side with his bare hand. The man who owned the sword stared at Kenshin in complete shock. Kenshin's eyes narrowed in fury were the last thing the man saw before Kenshin slammed his sakabatō into the side of the man's head. Kenshin wheeled around to rescue Sakura.

But she was gone.

Panic gripped Kenshin's lungs, making it impossible to breathe. _Where is- How is she- They didn't- Is she okay?!_

A roar split the air. Surprised, everyone momentarily stopped fighting to look up. To puzzle the very strange, high pitched, squeaky roar… Balls of fire rained down on the policemen and Shishio's men alike. Screams filled the air as men dived for cover. In the chaos, Kenshin saw Sakura through a break in the crowd. Kenshin rushed forward, unopposed by the hysterical men.

"Ha! Take that! And it's a new high score!"

Swooping down from the sky above, a flying yellow beast breathed out fire from his mouth, scattering the last of the police officers holding Sakura prisoner. "Kero-chan!" Sakura cried with joy.

"Booyah!" Kero laughed manically before he belched out more fire.

Kenshin pushed aside a stray officer and reached Sakura. She pointed to her right and cried, "My wand!"

Kenshin snapped his head to see an officer carrying Sakura's wand, completely frozen in fear of Kero. In a blink of an eye, Kenshin hit the officer's temple with the sakabatō hilt, knocking him unconscious, reclaimed Sakura's wand, and returned it to its owner. Ecstatic, Sakura smiled and breathed Kenshin's name. Kenshin gave her a quick once over; she had a few scrapes and bruises but nothing serious. Kenshin exhaled a breath of relief. _Thank the gods._

During the reunion between the two, Kero had flown over their heads and blew fire at the remaining men. Shishio's men and police officers alike had all fled, scared by the power of the sun guardian. When the last men had disappeared, Kero swung back around and flew towards Kenshin and Sakura.

"That was amazing, Kero!" Kenshin greeted. "This one had no idea that you could do that."

Kero grinned. "I am amazing, aren't I? And that wasn't even da awe inspiring might of my true form-Erk!"

Sakura crushed Kero in a bear hug. "Kero-chan! I missed you so much! I was worried about you."

"Ergh…" Kero moaned, while trying to free himself. "Well ya can be a little less worried… and let me go…" Sakura reluctantly eased her hold on Kero.

The guardian beast angrily waved a paw at Sakura's face. "Sakura, just what in the world were you thinking? If you were going to fly over a battle, you should have used your Illusion magic, instead of being a sitting duck for a spear. Just because I didn't want you to use magic unless you were fighting one of Shishio's magicians didn't mean that you couldn't use magic to protect yourself!"

Sakura tugged on the ends of her dress, her chin digging into her collarbone. " _Hoe_..."

Kero sighed, smacking his forehead. "What would ya guys do without me?"

In conjunction with the exclamation, lighting flashed and thunder rumbled. A light rain began to pour down on their heads. Kero looked up and muttered something that sounded like, "Sweet mother of candy…"

"What's wrong?" Kenshin asked.

"This storm was created in just a matter of hours. It's the first sign of the world's magical balance is tipping. And it's progressing at a far faster rate than I thought."

"What?!" Sakura gasped.

A police whistle rang through the air from down the street they had used to get here. A man's voice shouted, "It's the Cardcaptor! Get her!"

Placing a hand on Sakura's back, Kenshin herded her down the street where Shishio's men used to be. "Go. Go!"

Immediately Kenshin, Sakura, and Kero fled the scene. Kero flew by their side as they ran and explained in a serious tone, "Maze separated yall from Sanosuke and that cop Saitō?" Kenshin and Sakura nodded. "Feh," Kero spat. "Figures. Well, I haven't seen either of them, but I have just seen the strangest bit of magic in my entire life. I'll lead the way!"

Kero flew ahead and Kenshin and Sakura followed, careful to always keep him in their sight. After crossing a few streets, they arrived in a large open area, a mini square surrounded by deserted vendors' stalls and shops. In front of them at the other end of the square, was the largest store in Kyoto. It was almost as large as a mansion, but that was hardly its most impressive feature.

The store was a roaring inferno, but the wood showed no signs of burns or decay; it was burning without melting.

Kero said, "That store has been on fire for hours, but it's still standing. That means it's-"

Walking forward, his hand on his sakabatō hilt, Kenshin interrupted, "…it's Shishio's fire magic. It's a giant signal flare, pointing the way to him."

"Correct. But getting through here won't be so easy."

Startled, Sakura whipped her head around, searching for the source of the voice. "Who was that?"

Squinting against the blinding glare from the fires, Kenshin could make out a humanoid shadow in front of the fire, walking towards them. Though the figure was completely overcast by shadow, Kenshin could recognize that easy, confident gait anywhere. It was the person who had been the first to wound Kenshin's back. The swordsman who kidnapped Sakura. The magician who worked as Shishio's right hand man.

Sōjirō.

Sōjirō stepped out of the shadows and into the light with a smile on his face. "Himura-san. Cardcaptor-san. Sun Guardian-san. It is good to see you all well. I commend you for making it this far."

Kenshin opened his mouth to reply, but Sakura stepped forward. "Please!" Sakura pleaded. "You must stop Maze! If Maze goes on a rampage with all the magic surrounding Kyoto giving it power, Maze will only grow stronger and bigger! Although you didn't write your name on the card, Maze may still listen to you-"

Sōjirō's laughter caused Sakura's words to die in her throat. "I'm sorry, Cardcaptor-san," Sōjirō apologized. "But whoever said that Maze is rampaging? It is true that I did not write my name on the Maze Clow Card after I took it from Chō, but I did not do so because of ignorance. It is not my place to decide who will be the master of the Clow Cards, but Shishio-sama's will. I gave the card to him and he in turn bestowed it upon one of his top magicians to unleash it in Kyoto. So Maze is very much under the control of one of us. Maze is the perfect card to trap the police and any other individuals, such as yourselves," Sōjirō grinned, "…and keep them away from Shishio's targets. Plus, there will be no one to stop the fires before we create them."

Kenshin grimaced. His worst fears and suspicions had just been confirmed. _But how to stop this before Kyoto, and the whole world, is destroyed?_ Kenshin narrowed his eyes at Sōjirō as a revelation dawned on him. "Maze was the trap Usui spoke of."

"Ah, so you have met Usui-san? And Iwanbō-san I presume. I have heard from a… mutual friend that they have been successful in taking the other magician from the future. Li Syaoran is his name, yes?"

At Sōjirō's mention of Syaoran's kidnapping, Kenshin felt a surge of anger. Shishio's grand ambitions aside, was it really necessary to kidnap a child? To threaten violence just because they might be stronger than he was? _I swear, Li-kun, I_ will _save you. Just please hold on until then._

In an uncharacteristic burst of fury, Kero yelled, "If I find out that yas have harmed Syaoran in any way, I'll make yas regret it for the rest of yer lives!" Sakura gasped, surprised at Kero's harsh tone.

Sōjirō's smile evaporated, leaving a blank slate on his face. "I cannot guarantee his personal wellbeing. However, there is a slight chance that Shishio-sama may not kill Li-san if you can offer proof that his magic is not the second strongest after the Cardcaptor, that he did not use his own magic to travel to this time period."

Sakura sucked in a breath, her eyes lighting up. "Yes! I have-" Then her enthusiasm was crushed in an instant, as she realized something. "N-No… actually… Syaoran-kun has it… and he won't give it to you…" Sakura hung her head, shadows covering her face. Her shaking hands were balled into fists. In a hoarse whisper Sakura said, "But it doesn't matter."

"What?" Kenshin exclaimed at the same time Kero said, "Eh?" Even Sōjirō seemed mildly confused.

Sakura took a step forward and raised her fists in front of her. She shouted, "It doesn't matter because Syaoran-kun IS stronger than you! He's stronger than all of you! In fact, I'll bet that wherever he is now, he's fighting and he's _winning_! He will never, ever let people like you beat him! Never in a million years!"

Sōjirō appeared stunned for a moment before he threw his head back and laughed. "Such faith, I see, dear Cardcaptor-san." He stopped laughing and stared at Kenshin, Sakura, and Kero, he dark brown eyes becoming icy and haunted. "But we shall see of his fate and yours. Time shall reveal the truth.

"If you defeat me, I shall tell you the location Shishio-sama is awaiting you. However, even if you were to somehow defeat me, Maze will ensure that you will be lost within its depths forever. The only way to break free is to defeat the magician who possesses the Maze Card." A grin from ear to ear broke out on Sōjirō's face. Instead of finding it pleasant, Kenshin found it unnerving and disturbing. Sōjirō intoned, "The question is…"

Before their very eyes, Sōjirō spilt into two. Both were exactly identical, right down to the same disturbing grin on their faces. Sakura and Kero gasped, horrified.

"What in the world…?" Kenshin wondered.

Each of the Sōjirō clones divided into two, before dividing again. And again. And again, and again, and again. A dozen Sōjirōs faced Kenshin, grinning and entering fighting stances. All of them said at the same time, their voices creepily echoing, "…who has the Maze Clow Card?"

* * *

 _This couldn't be more perfect_ , Saitō thought as he fingered his sword hilt, _being separated from Battōsai means I can operate without him trying to impose his silly morals on others._

"Saitō Hajime, correct?" Usui said, his hand stroking his chin. "The former Third Captain of the Shinsengumi, eh? A far more worthy opponent than Battōsai wielding that backwards sword of his."

"Usui Uonuma…" Saitō intoned, almost bored. "A coward who kidnaps children. Even if Battōsai refuses to kill, I would rather fight him than be forced to look at your face. The very sight of you sickens me."

Usui snarled, a furious rage building. However after a moment, Usui appeared to have calmed himself down. Ignoring the insult, Usui explained, "It is Shishio who wanted the boy, not I. I would simply have killed him from the start. Thankfully I don't have to listen to any more of that annoying upstart's whining, with Iwanbō delivering him to Shishio." For whatever reason, Usui's confidence returned. He hefted his spear, which Saitō noticed had a large heavy black ball on the other end. Usui titled his head back and grinned down at Saitō. "Now I can kill you for inconveniencing me and return to burning down the police headquarters."

Shortly after Saitō had been separated from Kenshin, Sano, and Sakura, Saitō had deduced that some sort of magic spell had been cast on the city. A maze, it appeared, that scrambled the streets and surroundings. Knowing the chances of him encountering the others were slim, Saitō traveled through Kyoto for hours, searching for any signs of Shishio's famed fighters and magicians. He had only encountered a few fires, until he encountered Usui in front of the police headquarters. The bodies of police officers were on the ground and the remaining few had regrouped, about to commit one last desperate charge against Usui. Saitō had dismissed the policemen, ordering them to leave Usui to him. Finally, Saitō would be able to exact his brand of justice.

"So you say, but I'll kill you first." _However…_ Saitō thought with a frown. _He's a magician. This will be a fight like no other before. Perhaps, even impossible…_

Kero's words on the night of his revelation of disaster came back to Saitō. _"…if those of you who don't have magic have to fight someone with a Clow Card, it is still possible to win. There are three ways: Knock them unconscious. If you do, the card should leave them. The second way is to break their mental concentration. Magicians must focus to order and control a Clow Card with precision. If you upset them, or distract them and make them lower their guard, their magic will be disrupted. That will be your chance. The last method is the most dangerous. If a magician uses enough of their magic that they are so weak they can't use any more magic, the Clow Card will no longer acknowledge them as their master and leave them."_

" _What happens then?" Yahiko asked._

" _In the event that Sakura and I aren't present during the fight, I have a backup plan that can be used in emergencies. When a card is weakened, it recognizes whoever defeated it as its master. However, it will only follow those with magic; it doesn't accept non-magical masters. Normally in that case a card would consider itself to be free-"_

" _Yo, Kero," Sano interrupted. "Plain Japanese. Remember we're 'non-magical' people. Spare us the details."_

 _Kero huffed but he complied. "Essentially what will happen is, is, through my help, Sakura will be able to sense that the Clow Card is weakened and freed from control and seal it from afar. But technically that's not an accurate description. I will actually be sending out my and Sakura's magical aura to attract the freed cards, and the Clow Cards will come to Sakura so she can seal them, but-"_

" _That's great, Kero," Sano cut in. "Knock 'em out, break their concentration, or get them to run outta magic juice. Then Sakura will seal the cards. Thanks."_

" _Argh!" Kero cried. "It's not that hard to understand…" He sobbed, "Where in the world is candy when I need it? I need candy soooo badly…"_

Saitō eyed Usui standing in front of him. He was equipped with a large spear and shield. _It shouldn't be too difficult. Dodge whatever reality warping abilities he may have and put a sword in his head. Simple._

"Such confidence," Usui grinned. "But I can tell your heart is racing. I may be blind, but being blinded by Shishio has come with its own unexpected benefits… I discovered I have magic that can allow me to have supernatural hearing. I can hear your heartbeat and even your muscles contracting. Though I may be blind, my mind's eye is stronger than any other! Without seeing, I'll know every move you're going to make. So tell me…"

Saitō frowned. _Wait, what was that he just said? Something about…_

Usui charged at Saitō, raising his spear for the kill. "…how do you think you can kill me first?!"

Saitō braced himself for Usui's barrage. With incredible swiftness, Usui jabbed and stabbed at Saitō; it was all that Saitō could to do get away with a few scrapes and cuts when Saitō jumped back. Wiping the blood away from his eyes, Saitō smirked, _But at least now I have all the keys I need._

Usui looked over Saitō and his handiwork done by his spear. "You're not so bad." He leered, "But you weren't able to land a single hit on me. It truly seems that you have no magic. Without magic, your death is only a matter of time."

Saitō shook his head. Reaching into a pocket, he pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and put it in his mouth. "Oh? You think so? But I already know how I am going to kill you without magic."

Usui became stiff, instantly turning cold. "You bluff."

Saitō took out the cigarette with two fingers, held it out the side, and raised a shoulder in a shrug. He grinned, "Shall we see what my mind eye's sees?

"Yes, you have magic, supernatural hearing and something else. According to Battōsai and the Cardcaptor girl, Shishio has given his magicians Clow Cards, generally Clow Cards that relate to and enhance your natural abilities and skills. But what is yours? When the weasel threw her kunai at you, they seemed to stop in front of you before falling to the ground. Perhaps you have super speed and knocked them out of the air before they hit you, or perhaps…" Saitō nodded to Usui's large turtle shield. "…they hit something. A shield."

Usui growled quietly before he regained his composure. Hefting his shield, Usui explained, "Yes, you are right… I do possess and use a Shield Clow Card to enhance my shield. But even if you know what Clow Card I have, what good is that? All you've done is prove that you cannot hurt me. I will whittle away at you until you are begging me to end your pitiful life!" Usui lunged at Saitō, attacking with his spear and the ball at the other end. "Now come! I'll show you how weak you are! Heritage Sword! Hundred-Flower Splendor!"

Saitō dodged as many of the blows as possible before he saw an opportunity. He turned his head to the right to dodge the spear tip, entered the Gatotsu stance, and thrust at the black ball. Feeling the impact, Usui paused, surprised. Saitō snarled at Usui and glared at him with a force that could scare the dead. "I'm not finished."

The black ball cracked and shattered into pieces. Usui gasped, and stumbled a few steps backwards.

Saitō chuckled as he returned the cigarette into his mouth. "You mentioned that Shishio was responsible for making you blind. And yet, here you are, reluctantly following his orders, and accepting gifts like Clow Cards from him. Why is that? Surely a man would be furious enough at losing his sight would fight back and get revenge? And so you did. But even with your magical super hearing, you still lost. Shishio needs men like you, evil men who are weaker than him but are still beholden to him, to do his bidding. Therefore when Shishio asked you to join him, you joined on the condition that you would be allowed the chance to kill Shishio at any time. The fact that even now, on the eve of Shishio's attempt to take over Japan, you are still working for him means that you've given up revenge. You live only to keep up the appearance to others and to Shishio that you believe you can one day kill Shishio. Of course, Shishio is no fool. He realizes that you know you can't defeat him. However, Shishio pretends and acts like you are a worthy opponent just so that he can use you.

"What stands before me is an empty shell of a man, who is too prideful to realize that dying would bring him more of at least some semblance of honor than living and making an utter mockery of himself." Saitō smirked, spat out his cigarette and crouched into a Gatotsu stance. "…This wolf's 'swift death to evil' will give you that death that you are seeking."

Usui ground his teeth into powder. His fingers gripped the shield and the spear until his knuckles were completely white. He breathed heavily before he began to laugh hysterically. "What are you talking about, Saitō?! Magic lets a person change the fabric of reality! It breaks every rule and allows people to do the impossible! With it, I can defeat Shishio, the Cardcaptor, and you! I can rule Japan and ignite a civil war! I can conquer the world!" Usui stepped forward, raised his spear above his head, and spun it in a circle, winding up for an attack. "I am a god!"

Usui charged at Saitō, his spear ready to thrust. Saitō lunged at Usui, intending to spear his chest before Usui could hit Saitō. However, Usui lead with another thing entirely. Usui shoved his shield forward into Saitō. Instead of killing Usui, Saitō's sword hit Usui's shield. Blinded by the shield's massive size, and his sword preoccupied, Saitō was wide open.

"Die!" Usui screamed. He raised his spear about to plunge it in Saitō's chest.

A clank resounded through the air. Usui gasped.

Perceiving with his mind's eye what Usui's moves were, Saitō had blocked Usui's spear with his sheath. Saitō pushed the spear tip away from his face. A slow grin grew on his face. "Shishio has acknowledged that the Cardcaptor's magic may rival his, and believes that boy you kidnapped may as well. If your magic can't allow you to kill Shishio, then that means little children are stronger than you. But I, who can kill you without magic…"

Saitō threw his sword arm backwards, preparing to thrust with all of the might, like a wolf about to sink its teeth into its prey. Usui gasped, horrified at the sight.

"…am the strongest of all!" Saitō screamed, as he thrust his sword into Usui's shield. _Pierce!_ Saitō thought. _Pierce through the magic!_

Usui, unnerved by the accurateness of the eye in Saitō's mind, had lowered his guard. Saitō's sword tip broke Usui's magic shield and the physical turtle shield, as well as Usui's chest. Blood flowing from his mouth, Usui fell to the ground, his hand clutching his chest.

Saitō leered down at Usui. "If you call yourself a god, why don't you pray to yourself that you may live?" He twisted his sword in Usui before pulling it out.

"D-Damn you…" Usui whispered before he died.

Saitō stared at the man's body in silence. _A man who does not live and die by his ideals is a fool not worthy of pity. Death may have been too kind for him._ Sighing, Saitō took out a cloth from within a pocket, wiped off the blood on his sword, and sheathed the blade. When Saitō looked up he was shocked to see a floating wing above Usui's body.

 _What the hell?!_

The wing seemed to stare at Usui for a moment before it disappeared into the sky, heading towards another part of the city. Thunder rumbled and a light rain began to fall. Saitō titled his head back, letting the rain fall into his face. And was that a small tremor underneath his feet?

 _We must hurry and defeat Shishio. It won't be long until Kyoto is torn apart, and the world will follow._

* * *

"Unnnn…" Disoriented, Syaoran blinked his eyes open. "Aah!"

Iwanbō chuckled as he leaned back away from Syaoran. Then he disappeared.

"Wha… what's going on?" Syaoran murmured to himself. He sat up and realized that he was lying across the seats of a carriage. Syaoran tried to lift a hand to his face to brush off some sweat, when he realized his hands were bound behind his back. _Great. Now what?_ Groaning, Syaoran swung his feet to the floor of the carriage. A twinge of pain flashed across his ribs. He grimaced, but pushed past the pain. Now wasn't the time to worry about such inconsequential things like pain or discomfort. He had to figure out where he was.

Glancing out of the window in the side of the carriage, Syaoran gasped. _The… sea? But how?_ Before him stretched a port with large shipping vessels docked. Lighting along the port illuminated the dark murky waters. _But Kyoto isn't by the sea…_ Syaoran glanced to the side out the front window of the carriage. Through the window Syaoran could see Iwanbō talking with the carriage driver, who appeared to be one of Shishio's minions. _But Osaka is. Osaka has one of the biggest ports in Japan now. That Iwanbō guy must have knocked me out, took a carriage, and brought me to Osaka. He was supposed to take me to Shishio so does that mean Shishio isn't even in Kyoto?! But then there's no way they can find Shishio before dawn!_ Syaoran turned to the horizon. Only two hours at best until the sun would rise. And the days of the earth began to be numbered.

Iwanbō said something to the driver and then left from Syaoran's vision, presumably about to head to the carriage door to check on Syaoran. Syaoran began to panic. _I have to get my hands out of these ropes? But how? I don't have any-Yes! I know!_

Something thumped right outside the carriage door. With a cracking noise, something latched onto the door, ripped the door off the hinges, and threw it away like it was nothing. Syaoran stared at Iwanbō in horror. _D-Did he just…?_

Iwanbō just chuckled. Then he pointed to the right. After gulping, Syaoran stood up and exited the carriage. _This is crazy…_ As soon as Syaoran's feet hit the ground, the carriage rode off. Syaoran was alone with a man who could easily tear him limb from limb. Cold sweat broke out all over his body.

"A-Ah!"

With a swipe of his massive hand, Iwanbō shoved Syaoran forward. Suppressing his anger, Syaoran obediently walked forward along the port. As they walked, Syaoran kept replaying his conversation with Sakura in his mind as well as Kenshin's words before Syaoran was kidnapped. They both wanted him back safe and sound and Syaoran had vowed that he wouldn't give Shishio any information on the Nameless Card, but… how could Syaoran protect himself and reunite with Sakura if Syaoran couldn't use any magic? He had been practicing with Kero to overcome the magic seal that Aoshi had placed on him, but he hadn't made much progress. Syaoran had been surprised that his magical senses had revived so that he could detect Iwanbō sneaking up on him. So how…? How could he survive this alive?

"Hey!"

Syaoran jumped, startled. His head whipped around to see Iwanbō staring at him. "What?" Syaoran asked, trying to keep the nervousness from his voice.

Iwanbō continued to stare at Syaoran until he ambled down an extension out into the water, between two shipping boats. Syaoran hesitated before he followed.

The answer was simple. He didn't.

With a heavy heart of despair, Syaoran followed after Iwanbō. However, Iwanbō did not lead Syaoran to one of the large shipping vessels as he expected, but a small boat that could only fit two. Iwanbō strode next to the boat, then turned to Syaoran, waiting for the boy to jump in.

Syaoran approached the boat until he was right the edge of the port. He paused, studying the craft. _If we're boarding this instead of one the ships here then that means Shishio is nearby. Or at least, the place they're keeping me until Shishio comes._

Iwanbō grunted, growing impatient.

Syaoran exhaled, then closed his eyes. _One way or another this will lead to Shishio._ His hands clenched at the thought. A strange emotion filled Syaoran.

Fury.

Here he was, miles away from Sakura as she risked her life to find and face Shishio, while Syaoran was expected to be a docile captive, who would willingly give up information about the Nameless Card and the other Clow Cards. Who was Shishio to think that he had any control over Syaoran? Shishio hadn't even seen Syaoran before! And who was Syaoran to think that he had no choice but to give himself in and lie about the Clow Cards? Kenshin was right. If Syaoran was going to let a little seal make him give up and roll over, he couldn't look at himself in the face in the mirror.

His magic begin to swell up within him so much he felt everything that was holding him back break. Syaoran slowly opened his eyes. There were people he had to live for.

Seeing without his eyes, Syaoran knew that Iwanbō had raised his hand and was about to smash it down on his skull. "Bedtime, runt." Iwanbō lowered his hand with the speed of a bullet. But his hand never met Syaoran's head.

Syaoran turned his head to the side to look at Iwanbō from the corner of his eye. "Just try it."

Iwanbō grunted, annoyed, and pressed his hand down harder. Over his head, Syaoran had summoned his magic sword and used the flat of the blade to block Iwanbō's hand. Even before Syaoran had trained with Kero, Syaoran retained the basic and almost effortless ability to summon his magic sword. While in the carriage, Syaoran used his sword to cut through the ropes on his hands.

Growling, Iwanbō applied more force to the sword with his hand. With his hand holding his sword over his head, Syaoran couldn't withstand the pressure in such an awkward stance. He rolled to the side, just as Iwanbō slammed his fist down into the port. Syaoran gaped as stone broke apart like it was playdoh.

 _H-How does he have that much power?_

Syaoran shook his head. _Doesn't matter._ Iwanbō remained with his fist to the ground, leaving his back vulnerable. Now was his chance. Syaoran charged, his fist pulled back. "Hyaah!" With all of his strength from his martial artist training, Syaoran punched Iwanbō's back. Only for his fist to bounce back, like his skin was made of rubber.

Iwanbō turned his head a grotesque 180 degrees to Syaoran. Syaoran gasped, horrified. Iwanbō grinned.

 _H-He's not human…_ Syaoran stumbled back a few steps. All the while Iwanbō continued to watch Syaoran with his head backwards. The monster chuckled. _I… I…_ With the summoning of his conviction, the magic had arisen within him and Syaoran had finally overcome the magic seal. But now… All of the purpose and confidence Syaoran had moments earlier vanished.

"F-Flower!" Syaoran cried. Sakura petals rained from the sky. Surprised, Iwanbō's head straightened and he looked up. _Now! This is my chance!_ Raising his sword to the sky, Syaoran shouted, "Come forth!" The flower rain became as thick as a blizzard. _Now I can escape using the flower petals as cover while I come up with a plan-_

A raw scream ripped through the air. Stunned, Syaoran watched in horror as Iwanbō pummeled the ground, debris and stones flying everywhere. Syaoran covered his eyes with his arm. When the wind died down, Syaoran uncovered his eyes. The entire section of the port in front of Iwanbō had been almost vaporized. But worst of all, the wind had blasted away all of the sakura petals. There was no longer any point in using Flower any more.

"A-Ah…" Iwanbō jumped over the hole he made in the port. He approached Syaoran with a sadistic grin.

Thinking fast, Syaoran pressed a card to his sword. "Glow!" Several light orbs flew into Iwanbō's eyes, blinding him. Glow's light wasn't meant to be blinding, but regardless of its power, any light shone directly into the eyes was enough to daze others. As soon as the word Glow left his lips, Syaoran spun on his heel and fled. He ran full tilt down the port.

Running along the port, Syaoran's panic and fear fueled his legs. With skin that would bounce off attacks when hit… a head that could rotated 180 degrees… he wasn't a human. He couldn't possibly be. But then what was he? It? Whatever he or it was, Syaoran couldn't fight against it. _I have to… I have to hide! If he finds me, he'll take me to Shishio or kill me. If I want to live… I need to…_

"Urk!"

Something clamped onto the back of his Chinese magical outfit and pulled Syaoran backwards. After being swung in a half circle, Syaoran slammed into the side the hull of a ship. Pain flashed through his ribs, but Syaoran couldn't cry out if he wanted to. The hand that had around his back readjusted its grip, clenching Syaoran's chest torso. Syaoran could now see his attacker Iwanbō and his sadistic grin as he pressed Syaoran against the front of the ship.

Gritting his teeth, Syaoran tried to pry Iwanbō's left hand off of him, but he knew it was no use; a little boy was no match against the physical strength this monster possessed. Sweat slid down Syaoran's face as he attempted to assess his options. But his strength powering his magic was almost gone…

Iwanbō raised his free right hand and slowly drew it back in a fist. Syaoran screwed his eyes shut. _I… I have to do something! I can't just die here! I can't! I won't! I-_

"Goodbye, brat."

Iwanbō's fist came flying towards Syaoran's face.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Hoe-Hoe is a made up word that is Sakura's trademark. She uses it when confused, embarrassed, or surprised. As far as I know it has no meaning other than conveying Sakura's feelings.

Kami-sama-god or Lord god

Maze-One of the Clow Cards. It has the power to trap people in mazes in dimensions that it creates. Maze's mazes are fourth dimensional, and can repair walls that have been broken, and raise walls to make them impossible for people to climb over them. It cannot be sealed from the inside. Maze has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to confuse other people.

Ryūkansen-Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move that is often used as a counter to a thrust or charge. The user sidesteps an attack, spins around, and swings the sword at the opponent, adding momentum and centrifugal force to the blow.

Ryūsōsen-Dragon Nest Flash; It is an Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move in which the user unleashes multiple attacks and slashes directed at various places on the opponent's body. The speed of the attacks makes it difficult to counter, block, or parry.

Ryūtsuisen-Dragon Hammer Strike; It is a move of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū that requires the user to jump high in the air. With gravity adding to the force, the user falls and strikes an opponent in the head or shoulder.

* * *

Well… I hate to say it, but despite all of my best intentions you've caught up to me. I have the next chapter 3/4th of the way done, but that's it. Between juggling final projects, papers, tests, the holidays, and of course my upcoming finals, I won't have the time to time until my finals are done-December 11th. Next chapter will be posted **three weeks from now on Wednesday, December 16** **th** no matter how much or how little I was able to type. I know you all probably want to string me up for this, and I have nothing to say to that except I'm sorry. After the semester is over I have a five week break from school. If the story isn't finished in those five weeks, during which I will be posting regularly (unless something crazy happens), then it will be quite close to the end. In order words, unless aliens come to Earth, a three week waiting period won't ever happen again.

On that note, for those who live in America, Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi, Halley Vanaria! Ah, that's a very good guess but not quite! And I'm afraid that's all I'm gonna say on the subject. Don't want to reveal the best part of the story! :) Thanks for your review!

Hello, Kura! Hey, no worries! Any and all reviews are appreciated and no one is ever required to review or even review regularly. I'm glad you enjoyed. Yes, the transition from the "love scenes" as I call them into the last chapter was sudden. If I had more time I would have played around with the idea of Syaoran spying Kenshin and Kaoru kissing on the roof and him making fun of them, or even Kero… but I didn't want the story to drag out any longer and the chapter was reaching its 20, 23 max page limit I set for myself. Thank you for reviewing!

Hello James Birdsong! I'm glad you are enjoying the story! I hope you stick with it and thank you very much for your review! (As of the time of this chapter posting, your review isn't up yet on ff. net, but I was alerted by email of your review which contains your review. It should appear in the next couple of days.)

Next Chapter: Kenshin and Sakura versus Sōjirō! Kaoru and Yahiko versus Henya! Syaoran versus Iwanbō!


	26. The Fiery Chase!

Thank you very much for your patience. I realized that I have forgotten to put the next chapter preview in the last chapter. It wasn't intentional, but seeing as there was a longer gap between posting maybe that was for the best… Anyway, it's there now for continuity's sake. No more waiting-here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura because if I had so many innocent people die or their houses burned down in a more children geared series like CCS or the life saving themed RK I would be screwed.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

The Fiery Chase!

A clang of two swords rang through the air as well as the grunts of two men, intertwined in a battle.

"Nii-chan!" Sakura cried in worry.

"S-Sakura-chan… listen… Nrgh!" Kenshin was engaged in a match of strength against Sōjirō, their swords locked against each other. Sakura and Kero watched him helplessly at a small distance away. As much as Kenshin hated to admit it, there were watching Kenshin hopelessly lose this fight against a dozen Sōjirō clones.

The Sōjirō Kenshin had clashed swords with laughed merrily as another one of his clones launched himself at Kenshin's right. Summoning his power, Kenshin batted away the first Sōjirō. The Sōjirō fell to the ground and skid backwards for some distance. With his other hand, Kenshin raised his metal sheath that he had been holding to block the second Sōjirō that had snuck up on the rurouni.

"Ken-nii!" Sakura gasped. "Watch out!"

Kenshin glanced behind him to see a third Sōjirō running up towards his back. "Blast!" Just before the third Sōjirō sliced open Kenshin's back, Kenshin turned sideways. While still blocking the second Sōjirō, Kenshin raised his sakabatō and kept the third Sōjirō at bay. For the moment. The awkward position the Sōjirōs had forced Kenshin into left the rurouni vulnerable.

"Go, Sakura-chan!" Kenshin shouted, strain lining his voice. "You can't stay here!" So far none of the twelve Sōjirōs had approached Sakura or Kero, but there was no guarantee that it would stay that way. And if that happened and Sakura was hurt because of him… Kenshin wouldn't be able to live with himself.

"The red head can't protect ya, Sakura," Kero explained from beside Sakura. He pleaded, "Listen ta him and do as he says before we all die!"

"B-But…" Sakura clutched her wand to her chest while scanning the area for any other Sōjirōs.

"Sakura-chan!" Kenshin shouted. From the corner of his eye, Kenshin saw the first Sōjirō he had knocked to the ground rise. The clone's sword glinted in the fire of burning building.

"Go!" Kenshin screamed as a fourth Sōjirō appeared. The new Sōjirō, the two Kenshin had been blocking, and the Sōjirō clone that Kenshin had knocked to the ground began to converge in an attack against Kenshin on all of his sides. Kenshin jumped high into the air to dodge them at the last second. He landed on his feet some distance behind them, near the empty vendor stalls that outlined the square. However, Kenshin didn't emerge unscathed. Large long gashes ran down his legs and chest.

From somewhere over to his left he heard a high pitched voice shout "Fly." Kenshin breathed a sigh of relief. _She finally listened to me. Now I can concentrate on figuring out a way we can all survive-_

"You can't win, Himura-san!"

Kenshin's eyes widened as he pivoted on his heel. Five Sōjirō clones jumped down from the abandoned vendor stalls and buildings. Acting as though they were one, they stood in a half circle before Kenshin, swords at the ready. The Sōjirō that stood directly in front of Kenshin pointed his sword at the rurouni's chest. "So why do you fight?" he asked. His eyes narrowed as he said in a deathly quiet whisper, "Is it to protect Cardcaptor-san?"

Stunned, Kenshin watched the Sōjirō in surprise. _Was that… Sōjirō showing some emotion?_

"Nii-chan! Code Rocket!" Kenshin glanced behind him to see Sakura with Fly's wings sprouting out of her back with Kero flying beside her. Sakura gripped her wand in her hands, her eyes locked with Kenshin. Kenshin dipped his head. At his signal, Sakura spun her wand and chanting a spell. "Jump!"

With Sakura's and Kenshin's magic combined, Kenshin jumped a good fifty feet into the air. At the apex of his jump, Kenshin curled up into a ball and spun head over heels. Falling towards the ground, Kenshin yelled, "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Doryūsen!"

With the aid of gravity, Kenshin's sakabatō smashed into the ground. A deep and wide gorge before the sakabatō was created, sending rocks and debris flying. The five Sōjirōs were thrown aside like bowling pins. Their shouts of alarm died in the sound of the earth tearing apart. The fissure continued past the Sōjirōs, destroying the front half of a building. Seeing the destruction he had inadvertently caused, Kenshin gasped.

"Ororo…"

" _Baka_!" Kero cried from a distance. "I told you a _hundred_ times! You must control your magic."

Kenshin was about to defend himself when something sharp pierced Kenshin's side, slicing his skin and muscle like putty. A blood curling scream ripped out of Kenshin's lungs. Before any more damage could be done to him, Kenshin jumped to the side. He turned around to face his attacker. Another Sōjirō clone causally flicked off the blood on his sword.

His eyes grew cold as he said, "A former hitokiri claiming he fights to protect others… What a hypocrite." Sōjirō shook his head as though Kenshin was a soul who had lost all hope of salvation. "Hypocrites that don't believe the law of nature 'the strong eat the flesh of the weak' deserve nothing more than death." The five Sōjirōs that Kenshin had assailed with Doryūsen picked themselves up. The four Sōjirōs that had attacked Kenshin from all four sides placed their swords on their shoulders and walked over to them, smiles on their faces. The remaining three Sōjirōs that were scattered throughout the square also grinned as they ambled towards the trapped rurouni.

Kenshin grimaced. _There's far too many…_ He pressed a hand to his side in a vain attempt to staunch the flow of blood pouring from his side. _I don't have a chance._

Seeing the grim realization in Kenshin's eyes, the head Sōjirō standing in front of Kenshin chuckled. "Shall we begin, Himura-san?"

One of the five Sōjirōs behind Kenshin shouted a battle cry as they charged towards Kenshin. Kenshin glanced backwards at the sound of the voice. Taking advantage of Kenshin's distraction, the first Sōjirō that had uttered the challenge slashed at Kenshin. Kenshin barely reacted in time. He blocked the first Sōjirō with his sakabatō, then dodged to the right to avoid the downward stroke of the clone who had distracted Kenshin. However, Kenshin's jump to the side placed him into the lap of another Sōjirō. This third Sōjirō slashed horizontally at Kenshin, forcing Kenshin to roll underneath the blade to escape. But Kenshin's roll only increased the flow of blood from his wound in the side.

On the edge of his hearing, Kenshin heard Sakura and Kero arguing above him. "Nii-chan!" Sakura gasped. "Are you all right?!"

"There's just too many of them…" Kero moaned. "None of our best magic and sword techniques will work on a dozen people…"

Several Sōjirōs stood back and laughed at the sight of Kenshin struggling fighting against the other clones. They waved their swords and pointed at Kenshin almost insouciantly, without a care in the world.

"But we have to do something!" Sakura cried.

Kero grit his teeth as a small bead of sweat traveled down his face. "I'm thinking, I'm thinking…"

Down below, Kenshin had blocked yet another attack from a Sōjirō. The smiling Sōjirō preoccupied Kenshin as a clone crept up behind Kenshin.

"This is the end for you, Himura-san!"

Kenshin whipped his head around at the voice, but it was too late. The Sōjirō stabbed Kenshin's side. Kenshin half fell, half jumped to the side, the sword falling out from inside Kenshin. The Sōjirō who injured Kenshin continued his thrust, hitting the Sōjirō that was in front of Kenshin. The sword passed clean through the Sōjirō, but he didn't fall.

 _W-What?!_ Kenshin thought with shock. _But how?_

But before he could deliberate this strange phenomenon further, a Sōjirō had stabbed Kenshin's shoulder. Kenshin dropped the metal sheath and clamped down on the wound. Falling to his knees, Kenshin squeezed his shoulder, his breaths becoming more and more ragged. Grinning, smirking, laughing, the Sōjirōs surrounded Kenshin, readying their swords. Even the few Sōjirōs in the distance that hadn't engaged Kenshin began walking towards Kenshin, wanting to see the final strike. Kenshin glanced up at them and gripped his sakabatō tighter. _Hypocrite I may be, but I would be honored to die fighting to protect Sakura-chan._

Suddenly a large flash of light came from behind Kenshin. Kenshin and the Sōjirōs turned around to see a ball of light land on the ground. The few Sōjirōs that were nearby, staggered and covered their blinded eyes.

"Yes!" Sakura crowed triumphantly, "I can turn this around!"She uttered a chant and then raised her wand to the sky.

"Thunder!"

Lighting fell from the sky unto the group of Sōjirōs surrounding Kenshin, causing them to scatter. Sakura had only intended for them to be scared away, but something else happened.

Something horrifying.

One of the lightning bolts hit a Sōjirō clone, electrocuting him. Before Kenshin could gasp, Sōjirō didn't fall, but instead defied all laws of nature. The lighting _bounced off_ Sōjirō and hit another clone. The lighting didn't harm the other clone at all, rather it recoiled off of him into a third clone. And then another and another. In a matter of seconds lighting arced between all of the Sōjirōs, forming a giant web of electricity covering the ground. Stray branches of lighting struck the empty vendor stalls and building lining the area. All at once the buildings exploded into flames that leapt into the air. It was both a beautiful and disturbing sight.

The plume of smoke and ash teared up Kenshin's eyes. He began to gag. Kenshin recoiled from a spark that had lit the pant sleeve of his hakama on fire. Holding back choice words, Kenshin hastened to put out the small flame by beating it with his sleeve of his gi.

"Sakura!" Kero cried, abject terror in his voice.

Kenshin's heart froze as he watched a branch of lighting from the Sōjirōs arched up and almost hit Sakura. "Aah!" she screamed.

Without hesitation, Kenshin leapt into the air. He tackled into Sakura, causing her to fall out of the sky and onto the ground. Lighting flashed in the space where Sakura had just been moments earlier.

Kenshin picked himself up and examined Sakura's pale face and her closed eyes. There were bruises and cuts on her face, along with ash. In Kenshin's mind, Sakura's face flashed back in the swollen, bleeding face of when he first met Sakura. Fighting back a wave of fear, Kenshin shook Sakura's shoulders and shouted her name. She didn't respond. _No… no… no! This can't be happening!_

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! Are you all right?"

Groaning, Sakura regained conscious with a blink of her eyes. Sighing in relief, Kenshin helped Sakura sit up with a hand. After a moment, Sakura answered, "Y-Yes, I'm okay."

Kenshin nodded. He turned to examine the dozen Sōjirōs, the lighting arcing in between them, and the burning buildings. "This one has to stop this. This has gone too far." Kenshin, though his legs shook a bit under his weight, began to stand up. He clenched the sakabatō hilt. "This one doesn't know how but he won't let him-"

"No, wait!" Sakura stopped Kenshin be grabbing onto his sleeve. Surprised, Kenshin turned to Sakura, confusion on his face. Sakura grinned up at him, a fire of her own within her eyes.

"I know what Clow Card he's using!"

* * *

Gritting his teeth, Syaoran tried to pry Iwanbō's left hand off of him, but he knew it was no use; a little boy was no match in the physical strength that this monster possessed. Sweat slid down his face as he attempted to assess his options. But his strength powering his magic was almost gone…

Iwanbō raised his free right hand and slowly drew it back, making a fist. Syaoran screwed his eyes shut. _I… I have to do something! I can't just die here! I can't! I won't! I-_

"Goodbye, brat."

Iwanbō's fist came flying towards Syaoran's face.

Time slowed down as a sense of calm settled over Syaoran. In the breath of one moment, his life since learning of Sakura's disappearance flashed before his eyes. When his parents had been about to force him to return to Hong Kong, Syaoran had run away until they let him stay in Tokyo to search for Sakura. He had been so confused when he first arrived in the Meiji era, but the fuel of his goal to find Sakura propelled him forward. And when he learned of the horrible fate that Sakura had endured at Kenshin's hometown, he couldn't take it. So he ran away again. Only this time, not physically. Syaoran couldn't face the truth that he had failed to protect Sakura so he blamed Kenshin instead. Syaoran had vowed to protect Sakura and overcome the magic seal Aoshi placed on him, but he tried to convince himself that sacrificing himself was a form of protection. Even now he had been fleeing Iwanbō. Syaoran had been running away all this time, but what was he running away from?

Himself. His own weakness. His fear of being unable to protect those closest to him. But in running away out of that fear, didn't he only subject his loved ones to danger, the very thing he had feared in the first place? If he truly wanted to be strong and protect them, then no matter what the odds he had to face his fear, to rise up to the occasion.

To fight.

Iwanbō raised his free right hand and slowly drew it back, making a fist. Syaoran screwed his eyes shut and thought, _I… I have to do something! I can't just die here! I can't! I won't! I-_ An image of Sakura's face appeared in Syaoran's mind.

"Goodbye, brat."

Iwanbō's fist came flying towards Syaoran's face.

 _I WON'T RUN AWAY ANYMORE!_

A maniac grin overcame Iwanbō's face as his fist neared its target. Syaoran flinched as the fist came within a few millimeters of his nose. Sweat slid down his nose and hit the ground below.

Iwanbō grunted in surprise. He tried to move his fist forward, but he found that for some strange reason he couldn't. Chuckling quietly to himself, Syaoran stared at Iwanbō, a tired grin on his face. He mouthed, "You lose."

The wood from the boat Syaoran was pushed up against had stemmed off of it, forming branches that had wrapped themselves around Iwanbō's wrist. Syaoran had used the Wood Clow Card to manipulate the wood from the boat behind him to ensnare Iwanbō's right wrist.

Calling upon Wood again, Syaoran summoned another branch from the boat. The tendrils approached Iwanbō's other wrist, the wrist of the hand that gripped Syaoran's chest. "Free me," Syaoran ordered. The vines moved to obey.

Snarling, Iwanbō's right fist that had been just about to hit Syaoran, detached from its wrist. Syaoran didn't even have enough time to widen his eyes before Iwanbō's fist slammed into his face. His vision going black, Syaoran's head lolled to the side. Iwanbō released Syaoran from his hold and the boy tumbled to the ground. The magic wooden branches retreated, letting Iwanbō free.

Syaoran lay on the ground, his cheek pressed against the cold ground. Something warm and sticky flowed from his nose and mouth. His cracked ribs ached with every ragged breath he managed to suck in. His head pounded in the rhythm with his slow heartrate. Slowly, he cracked open his eyes. Several inches in front of him on the ground was Iwanbō's fist. Wires and cords sprouted from the end of his hand and connected to Iwanbō's wrist. It took Syaoran's fuzzy mind a few moments before he realized what this new revelation meant.

But that was time that Iwanbō wasn't going to give him. With a crank, whirr, and a pop, Iwanbō's fist reattached to his wrist. He walked over to Syaoran until he towered over him. Chuckling, Iwanbō raised his arm and aimed his fist at Syaoran's face again, no doubt to put an end to Syaoran permanently. Syaoran tried to raise his hand, but it was no use. His body was too heavy to move.

Just as Iwanbō was about to detach his fist again, branches shot out from the ships on either side of them and tried to grab Iwanbō's wrist. _Come on, come on!_ Syaoran thought desperately. However, the force of Iwanbō's wrist ejecting broke the brittle branches and charged towards Syaoran.

 _One… last card… I summon thee!_

Water surged upwards from the sea behind them, making a midair curtain of water. Surprised, Iwanbō jerked and his fist connected into the ground next to Syaoran's head. Iwanbō turned to make as though he was going to run. There was no way Syaoran was going to let him get away. Multitudes of branches latched themselves onto Iwanbō, holding him in place. Syaoran summoned enough strength to sit upright. A swell of magic rose within him like a flood as he thrust his hand out toward Iwanbō.

 _Watery!_

Water rushed at Iwanbō. The vines responded to Syaoran's command and ripped Iwanbō's other hand from its wrist, exposing more wires. The water soaked the vulnerable wires of each of his hands causing them to fizz and pop. When Syaoran felt his magic begin to ebb, Syaoran ordered Watery to halt. The water receded back into the ocean. Iwanbō hung suspended by the branches, soaking wet and sparking.

Slowly, Syaoran gathered his feet underneath him and stood up. Placing a hand on his hip, Syaoran smirked, "I guess that your machine is all washed up. Now…" Turning serious, Syaoran raised his other hand and summoned his sword. Point the sword at Iwanbō, Syaoran chanted, "Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Card!" Syaoran didn't have the ability to seal Clow Cards, but nonetheless the chant still served as a means of calling forth a card's natural form.

Recognizing Syaoran as its master, the Clow Card within Iwanbō began to glow, about to materialize itself. A glowing ball of light left Iwanbō and settled midair before Syaoran. After a moment, the ball of light transformed into a young girl.

The sight caused Syaoran's eyes to widen and his jaw to drop. _W-What…? How can this be?!_

* * *

"Where is he? Do you see him?"

"No, Kaoru. But he flew down this way! I saw him go around this corner here-there!" Yahiko pointed ahead of him at a slip of a shadow flying through the night air above the houses lining the streets.

Kaoru, who was running beside her student, nodded. Her eyes flared with an inner fire as she gripped her bokken. "This madness ends here."

"You are quite right. I am sick of playing children's games."

Up ahead, the shadow stopped running away to stand on top of a house a couple hundred feet in front of Kaoru and Yahiko. Upon seeing he had stopped, Kaoru and Yahiko drew to a halt. Kaoru took the opportunity to get her first good look at him. He was a very short man, with long spiky hair that strangely stood straight up. Shifty eyes scanned the two of them like a panther lying in wait for the perfect moment to strike the unsuspecting prey. His narrow and gaunt face reminded Kaoru of sickness for some reason she couldn't quite say. He wrapped his lithe form under a long black cloak.

Besides her Yahiko drew his shinai and pointed it at the man. "Who are you?"

"I am Henya Kariwa. Not that mere women and children deserve to know my name," Henya sneered. "But you are Kamiya Kaoru and Myōjin Yahiko, correct? Associates of Himura Battōsai, the famed user of the legendary Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. I wish to fight him and his glorious sword style before another engages him first. Now tell me where he is or else I'll kill you where you stand. And I promise it'll be a messy death."

Undeterred by Henya's words, Yahiko stepped forward and raised her fist. "You'll have to kill us before you get any answers from us, you freak!"

"Yahiko." Kaoru reprimanded quietly, "Don't bait your enemy when you don't know how they'll react. We can't take any unnecessary risks here."

Henya sighed. "Bluffing, I see. Conversing with you is a waste of my time. I have places I must be and people to find." Henya's cloak ruffled a bit before a skinny hand appeared holding a couple of red sticks. "Now to clean up the mess…"

Squinting his eyes, Yahiko asked, "What are those…?"

Gasping in horror, Kaoru cried, "Yahiko, run!"

Henya casually tossed the sticks in Kaoru and Yahiko's direction. Kaoru began to bolt. She looked over her shoulder to see that Yahiko hadn't moved.

"Yahiko! Come on!"

Kaoru turned around, grabbed Yahiko's collar, and threw him into an open doorway of a house. Before Kaoru knew what was happening, the world exploded. Literally. The force of the blast knocked Kaoru into the house after Yahiko. Then a second explosion shook the ground. Kaoru lay dazed on the ground, disoriented.

"Kaoru! Kaoru! Are you all right!"

Groaning, Kaoru opened her eyes and sat upright. Flaming pain shot up her back and her arms, causing her to hiss in pain. Yahiko rushed to Kaoru's side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Kaoru squinted to peer into Yahiko's dirty face. The house was dark, but the light of the flames outside lit up the darkness enough for Kaoru to see. Thankfully the houses in the area were abandoned; Kaoru and Yahiko had ordered everyone to evacuate when they saw Henya heading this way. They didn't know how, but it seemed that Henya was the source of much of the fires around Kyoto. Now it was obvious how.

"I'm fine," Kaoru said, mentally pushing aside her pain. "Don't worry about me."

"I'm sorry," Yahiko apologized. "I didn't realize that he had freakin' TNT on him. I couldn't even see it too clearly; he was too far away. So how did you know?"

 _I don't know… I just… sensed his ill intent and a vision of fire danced in my eyes…_ Shaking her head, Kaoru stood up. While she walked to a window in the front of the house, Kaoru said, "It doesn't matter." Looking out the window, Kaoru saw that Henya was gone and in his place was a blown apart house, its remains burning. "We have to think of a way to stop Henya from running away." _And I know how._ Turning around to Yahiko, Kaoru looked straight into Yahiko's eyes. "You know what to do. Initiate Sakura-chan's Code Face and Shadow."

"Wait… what?" Yahiko asked, starting to get up. Without another word, Kaoru dashed out of the house. "Kaoru, no! It's too dangerous!"

Kaoru leapt onto a couple of crates next to a house and then onto its roof. Her feet flying, she raced across the rooftops, jumping from the roof of one house onto the next and avoiding any licks of flames. Her heart pumping and her arms swinging, Kaoru thought, _He's heading towards_

 _Kinkaku temple, which has stood for nearly five centuries._ _If he reaches there… all of the monks could die and a panic among all Buddhists everywhere will follow._

Flames billowing up into the air in the distance in front of her caught Kaoru's attention. _I'm getting close now!_ Sure enough, it wasn't long before Kaoru spotted Henya in midair, his black cloak splayed out behind him like wings, revealing a grotesque skeleton like body. _So that's how he does it… he uses TNT and rides the air currents produced from the blast to "fly" through the air on his wings. And by starving himself he is lighter._ Kaoru shuddered at the thought of this man's dedication that he would starve himself to within an inch of his life so that he could brutally destroy the lives of others. _But that ends today._ Kaoru landed on another rooftop close to where Henya had landed from his latest blast. Muttering an apology under her breath, Kaoru ripped off a piece of the damaged roofing on the house. Hefting the chuck of melted tiles, Kaoru raised them above her head.

"Looking for me?"

Kaoru flinched, her heart stopping in her chest. Lowering the roofing, Kaoru turned around. Henya stood only a few meters away with a large grin on his face.

"B-But how…?" Kaoru glanced behind her to see that the thing she had mistaken for Henya's black cloak was a large soot and ash stain on the ground.

"These dynamite can serve as excellent means of disorienting targets. After a rain of flames falling from the sky how good can one's judgment be?" Henya shook his head in disgust. "You're lucky that I let you follow me. Now that you are separated from that boy, no one will know what became of you…

"I sense strong magic within you. Well then, let's test how strong it is, shall we?" Henya retrieved a stack of dynamite under his cloak and threw it at Kaoru.

Her reflexes overriding her body, Kaoru whipped up her bokken and batted the TNT off the roof. The ensuing explosion knocked Kaoru backwards onto another roof of a house. Kaoru hit the roof hard; she heard something crack-probably some of her bones. But before Kaoru could even scream, the roof beneath her collapsed and Kaoru fell into a pit of fire.

Kaoru blacked out for a few seconds before the scent of smoke awoke her. The sight of flames caused her to bolt upright. Flames as large as the ceiling consumed the walls of the kitchen Kaoru found herself in. To her right an oil lamp had fallen over and the oil was fueling the flames. Kaoru also noticed, to her despair, that the fire on the oil was blocking her only exit. Groping to her side, Kaoru searched for her bokken, only to realize that she had lost it from the explosion that sent her inside this house.

 _Okay, Kaoru,_ Kaoru talked to herself in a vain attempt to keep back the tides of her panic. _There are worst things than be trapped and burned alive. Like-_

A large cracking noise rang from above her. Kaoru looked up just in time to see Henya leap down from the hole Kaoru had felt through to stand in front of her. He raised his left hand to reveal a large dagger had been attached to his wrist.

 _Like being tortured by an utterly insane maniac_ before _being burned alive!_

Seeing Kaoru's frightened wide eyes caused Henya to chuckle. "Now, where were we? Ah yes…" Henya pointed his dagger underneath Kaoru's chin and lifted her face upwards until their eyes met. "I have heard that you are Battōsai's woman. Well then, wouldn't he be quite upset when he heard that you died? I wouldn't want to disrespect such a great warrior, but I must do all that I can to fight the greatest hitokiri of all time…"

Kaoru spat into Henya's eye. "I'm not telling you anything."

Henya snarled in rage. "If you're so eager to die then fine. And yet…" Henya brutally slashed Kaoru's arm, her blood flying. Over Kaoru's cry of pain, Henya yelled, "I will not kill you quickly! Your first insult of 'free flight' Henya will be your last!" Henya raised the dagger again.

"Yahiko, now!" Kaoru screamed.

"Miyōminane Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Mimic Ryūtsuisen!" Jumping down from the hole in the roof, Yahiko let gravity overtake him as he smashed his shinai into the back of Henya's head. Henya folded like paper to the ground.

Yahiko landed beside the body. Straightening, Yahiko pointed his shinai down at Henya's fallen form. "I'm Myōjin Yahiko, samurai of Tokyo and student of the ugly woman over there. She may be ugly, but she's my sensei. So get your hands off of her. Those who threaten her have to come through me first! And don't you forget it!"

Holding her bleeding arm, Kaoru couldn't help but smile. _Those were the words Yahiko said as he defended me from Kenshin when we first met Kenshin. Yahiko… you're quickly becoming the master swordsman you promised Li-kun you'd be._

Standing up, Kaoru said, "We need to get out of here and we're not leaving this guy here to die from the flames. Help me-"

A glow emanating from Henya began to appear. Kaoru and Yahiko stood frozen in shock as they watched the glow leave Henya's body, float up through the hole in the ceiling, and disappear from sight.

"What was-" Yahiko began.

"It was a Clow Card," Kaoru answered with certainty for she had sensed the magic within the light. "But never mind that. We have fires to put out and prevent, citizens to rescue and evacuate, and other Shishio's magicians to defeat."

Yahiko nodded. "Right! No matter what happens we can't let Shishio succeed!"

As Yahiko and Kaoru began to carry Henya out of the burning building, Kaoru had to wonder. _I don't think it's us who really matter when it comes to Shishio succeeding or not, but Kenshin and Sakura-chan. Oh, Kenshin… where are you? Don't forget your promise to me…_

* * *

"I know what Clow Card he's using!" Sakura exclaimed.

Hearing Sakura's words, Kenshin whipped his head towards Sakura and gazed at her with widened eyes. "Really?"

Kero flew onto Sakura's head and explained, "Sōjirō didn't deflect those lightning bolts. He reflected them…"

"…just like a mirror," Kenshin finished.

Sakura confirmed Kenshin's answer with a nod. "It's the Mirror Clow Card."

Kenshin asked, "Do you know of a way to subdue Mirror?" Behind Kenshin lighting from between the Sōjirōs flashed. Somewhere up above thunder rumbled and the rain renewed its strength. The fires from the buildings still raged without signs of stopping despite the onslaught of rain.

Sakura bit her lip, thinking. "Well…" She mentally reviewed all the Clow Cards she had in her possession. When she thought of one card, a slow smile grew on her face. "I can think of a card we've never used that could help but…" Sakura's face fell when she put more thought into the idea and realized a possible issue in the execution. "…I don't know if it'll help in the end. It'll buy us time, but I don't know how it will help us defeat him…"

Having reached the same idea as Sakura, Kero was probably as doubtful as she was. Still, he was unusually optimistic. "Don't worry, Sakura. I think it'll work. Besides…" Kero glanced over at Kenshin.

Kenshin nodded at Sakura and raised his sakabatō. "This one will be the one to defeat Sōjirō."

Sensing that Kenshin was about to leave, Sakura lifted her hand and protested, "You can't! You're too wounded! And we still have to face Shishio-san after this."

Kenshin chuckled, but Sakura could tell his smile didn't reach his eyes; they were filled with the struggle to suppress and hide the pain he was in from Sakura. "Don't worry. Just believe in yourself like this one believes in you, that he does."

"Nii-chan…" Sakura breathed, touched. The she closed her eyes. Summoning her courage, Sakura opened her eyes and nodded at Kenshin. Her demeanor had completely changed from hesitation to determination. "Okay. I'll do it."

Sakura held the wand horizontally in front of her with one hand. "Thunder, as your master, I call you back." The lightning that danced between the Sōjirō clones disappeared at Sakura's command. The Sōjirōs appeared disoriented by the sudden disappearance of the lightening. "In your place I call upon a new card!"

Hearing Sakura's shouts, one of the Sōjirō clones pointed towards Sakura, Kenshin, and Kero. He called out to the other clones.

Sakura spun the wand in circles as she chanted, "Card created by Clow, lend your powers to my Key."

All twelve Sōjirōs turned in the direction the first Sōjirō was pointing at. They readied their swords and ran towards the trio. Kenshin entered a fighting stance, his sakabatō gripped tightly in his hands. "Sakura-chan…" he warned.

"Transfer the magic dwelling within this card to my Key and grant me your power!" Sakura threw a Clow Card into the air and slammed her wand into it. All at once, Sakura, Kenshin, and Kero vanished without a trace.

The Sōjirōs drew to a halt, confused. One of the Sōjirōs scanned the area with a sweep of his eyes. A small frown appeared on his face. After a pause, he raised his voice and shouted, "Do not think you can still prevail, relying on such cheap tricks. Nothing can change the law that the strong live and the weak die. It is absolute. And I shall be its enforcer."

The other Sōjirōs pointed their swords into the air and cried, "The strong live and the weak die!" They spread out like a wave, each heading toward their own section of the square.

Sakura, meanwhile, turned to her right to smile at Kenshin. They had been standing at the same place they had been the entire time Sōjirō had talked. The Sōjirōs just couldn't see them. Sakura pointed at one of the Sōjirōs running past them on their left. Kenshin dipped his head, then he ran full tilt after the Sōjirō. When Sakura pointed at another Sōjirō to their right, Kero turned to go after him, but stopped. He turned back to Sakura and stared into her eyes.

"Remember. Read the emotion."

"After all…" Sakura said, a strange sense of responsibly overcoming her. "…that's the root of all magic, _ne_?"

Hearing Sakura's words, Kero's eyes widened. "H-How did ya…?" Then he chuckled and shook his head. "Ya've grown so much, Sakura. Just don't forget that we're not out of the woods yet." With that, Kero turned around and flew away into the darkness.

With Kenshin and Kero both gone, Sakura was alone. She hefted her wand. _Now it's my turn._ Her wings on her back flapping, Sakura returned to the sky. _I have to coordinate all of this… and I must lead the attack!_

Sakura sucked in a breath. Using the same Clow Card that had allowed herself, Kenshin, and Kero hidden, Sakura spoke and her words were carried throughout the square.

"Sōjirō-san. Please, stop this. I am the Cardcaptor. We _will_ find a way to stop you. It's only a matter of time."

The Sōjirōs ceased their search for the trio to look up at the sky in confusion. To Sakura's left and right she her muffled screams. While the shouts sent a shiver down her spine, Sakura knew she couldn't back down.

After a moment, the other Sōjirōs returned to their work, a Sōjirō clone retorted, "So you say. If you had a Clow Card that could have taken out all of us, you would have used it earlier."

 _Read the emotion… read the emotion…_ chanted Sakura in her head as she flew over the area, her eyes moving wildly. She spotted Kenshin next to an empty vendor stand that had only partially caught on fire. Currently Kenshin stood in the shadows cast by the flame. Sakura pointed to another figure and Kenshin charged off in that direction. A few moments later, when Sakura discovered Kero, she did the same actions.

Sakura used her magic again to respond to Sōjirō. "The Sōjirō I remember from the forest outside of Kyoto was kind! Is Shishio-san kind to you?"

"Ha!" One Sōjirō scoffed. "He is the embodiment of strength and magic! Kindness is a weakness."

Sakura's eyes widened as she felt a spark. A spark that she had been searching for. She only had to expound upon it and seize it. After ordering Kenshin and Kero to two more targets, Sakura rejoined, "Do you really believe that? Then why were you so nice to me? You helped me when I needed someone. You smiled and laughed!"

All of the Sōjirō clones that Sakura could see scowled. Sakura felt uneasy. _I'm getting closer… I have to keep pushing!_ Before replying to Sōjirō, Sakura paused. She spied Kenshin and Kero sneaking towards a group of Sōjirōs near the ever burning building. She gave them the go ahead, then turned back to the square.

As Sakura flew over the square she spied three Sōjirōs standing together in a spread out line. Flying over their heads, she countered, "By smiling and laughing, you pretend to have emotion, but what's really true is that… you're pretending to be emotionless."

The three Sōjirōs remaining within the square widened their eyes. They raised a hand to the side of his face, their fingers intertwining with their hair. " _Chigau_ … that's not true…"

"It is true. Your eyes give you away. Just like Ken-nii's eyes do."

The three Sōjirōs shook threw their hands out to the side. "Really? My eyes give me away? That's a very interesting theory. But you don't even know which one of me is the real person! And as soon as I discover a way to break your spell I will-"

"Do you want to know what I think? What I see in your eyes?"

Sōjirō gasped in surprise as Sakura became visible. She was the very image of an angel of judgment floating in the sky. His eyes widened as watched her descend from the sky in front of him, the solemnest and saddest expression on her face. "I see… yes, I see that a person who smiles and laughs and is kind but on the inside is dying. By working for a person who does not smile or laugh, but destroys and kills… you are destroying yourself. And yet you still smile, hoping that one day it will be heartfelt."

Sakura held her wand to her chest, a bittersweet memory on her lips. "In my adventures with my friends and with Ken-nii, I learned that a smile suits people's faces best." Sakura clutched the wand tighter to her chest, her knuckles growing white. She dipped her head, her bangs casting a shadow over her eyes. "That in the end, everything will be all right. I don't know if that is true, but…" Sakura raised her head and stared at Sōjirō-straight into his soul. "That is what I want to believe. For now, that is my truth."

The three Sōjirōs threw their heads back and laughed. Sakura could hear the slight edge of mania behind it. "And Himura-san's 'truth' is protecting the weak? You're all a bunch of annoying hypocrites! If you truly believe that, why are you fighting and causing misery? If you truly believe that then why?" The Sōjirōs shouted, "Why wasn't there anyone to protect me back then?!"

A jolt went through Sakura. _That's it! I can feel the emotions! I know who it is!_ Sakura smiled as she raised her hand, which held something in between her fingers. _Now I can set you free._ Holding out her hand and lifting her wand, Sakura said, "I'm sorry that there wasn't anyone to help you back then. But I can protect you from yourself by setting you free."

The Sōjirō that was in the middle of the two other Sōjirōs scowled. He pointed his sword at Sakura and narrowed his eyes into a frosty glare. "I've had enough. This is ending now." With an incredible amount of speed, Sōjirō disappeared from sight, charging towards Sakura.

 _I couldn't agree more._ Sakura cast a spell under her breath before slamming her wand into a card. "Thunder!" Lighting arched out of the Clow Card and shot towards the lunging Sōjirō.

But instead of striking the Sōjirō that was attacking her, the lightning forked into two branches that split in front of Sōjirō. The Sōjirō stopped in his tracks. The lighting past the Sōjirō clone and struck the other two Sōjirōs behind the first clone. Just like last time, the lighting bounced off of the Sōjirōs. A few stray arches of electricity sparked harmlessly into the air, however the majority of the lightning passed between the two Sōjirōs, like a live wire. Confused, the Sōjirō who had not been target by Sakura's lightning looked up sharply at Sakura.

Sakura met Sōjirō's stare with an even, confident gaze. "Of the twelve Sōjirōs here, _you_ are the real one. Your eyes show your emotion and my magic allowed me to sense which of the twelve you were."

For the first time, Sakura witness true surprise flicker in Sōjirō's eyes. He whipped his head around to see Kenshin and Kero standing next to a group of unconscious Sōjirōs on the ground. Kero grinned, while Kenshin spun his sword. When Sōjirō's gaze turned back to Sakura, he whispered, "Shadow, then? The Clow Card Shishio bestowed to Shinomori Aoshi-san…"

Sakura nodded. Sakura had used the Shadow Clow Card to make her, Kenshin, and Kero disappear from Sōjirō's sight. Sakura had relied on their connection they had during their trek in the forest outside Kyoto to help bring forth Sōjirō's emotions. By exposing Sōjirō's emotions, Sakura could use her sensing magic to distinguish him from the eleven other clones made by Mirror. However, discerning who the real Sōjirō versus the clones was a difficult task. As Sakura tried to break the walls around Sōjirō's heart, she pointed out the clones that she knew were fake to Kenshin and Kero. The duo incapacitated the fake Sōjirō clones with strikes from the darkness with Shadow. One by one, Sakura had eliminated the fakes, leaving only the one Sōjirō clone who couldn't bounce back lightning because he wasn't a clone created by a mirror.

Sōjirō narrowed his eyes at Sakura for a moment. Then to Sakura's great surprise, Sōjirō actually grinned. It was a devil of a smile that sent waves of chills through Sakura. "I admit, you are far stronger and cleverer than I anticipated. But strength that comes from false truths will only betray you in the end." Sōjirō merrily chuckled, as though someone had told him a pleasant knock-knock joke. "I will not be defeated so easily, Cardcaptor-sama. I am afraid that this is where…" All of the warmth from Sōjirō's face fled in terror, revealing the depravity of a man gone far off the deep end into insanity. He thrust out a hand towards Sakura, lighting streaming forth towards Sakura. "…you die!"

Sakura froze, completely rooted to the spot. She couldn't move a millimeter if she wanted to. The crackling heat and power streaked its way towards her, determined to snuff out her very life. And in that one horrible gut wrenching moment, Sakura realized that she had no Clow Cards that could use to defend herself.

She was going to die.

Kenshin screamed, "SAKURA-CHAN!"

Sakura closed her eyes and braced herself.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Baka-Idiot, dummy, stupid

Chigau-Wrong, that's wrong, that's incorrect; can also be used as "no"

Doryūsen-Earth/Land Dragon Flash; It is an Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū move in which the user strikes the ground with a sword, sending earth and rocks flying with enough force that it can knock out the opponent. It is one of the ranged attacks of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū.

Mirror-One of the Clow Cards. Mirror can reflect things like a real mirror, and it can create exact mirror replicas of people. Sakura has used mirror to reflect dangers away and to create a version of herself to distract her family while she captures other cards. Mirror can also talk.

Miyominane-Mimic or homage

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Shadow-One of the Clow Cards. Shadow has the ability to gather the shadows of people and objects to give it more strength. In the presence of light, the shadows of the other things fade away, leaving the Shadow Clow Card behind and vulnerable. Sakura has used Shadow to track down people.

Thunder-One of the Clow Cards. This card is used to control lightning and thunder and Sakura uses it as such when capturing other Clow Cards.

Watery- One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Watery is aggressive water female spirit that can control water.

Wood-One of the Clow Cards. Sakura originally captured Wood in the present by using the Watery Clow Card. Sakura uses the Wood Clow Cards in a various ways including, cushioning falls, binding objects, and creating cages.

* * *

So much action in this chapter… hope you liked it! I have Syaoran fighting Iwanbō because I'm trying to make this as different and entertaining as the original source material. Unfortunately because this version of Iwanbō doesn't have any special moves or techniques, I can't implement any… and I won't make any up. To make things simple, I have both Kaoru and Yahiko fight Henya. It's in Kaoru's POV because she's a main character unlike Yahiko, but I still let Yahiko have the last hit. I think that's a good compromise. Hopefully updates will be more regular. By the way, just how much typing did I get done over this three week break? Hahaha, let's not go there…

And if anyone wants to know fanfics I plan on doing in the future and possible a sequel to this, please read my reply to Halley Vanaria below.

Hiya, Halley Vanaria! I'm so glad to know you loved my last chapter and that you think I'm a good writer. Your comments are so motivating to me! :) Unfortunately, I don't think it is likely that I will do a CCS and Inuyasha fanfic. As I said, while CCS' magic may fit the mythological Inuyasha universe, I don't think the characters mesh well. And I can't think of an engaging plot. A Rurouni Kenshin and Inuyasha fanfic on the other hand… well that has a higher chance of occurring. I think writing the interactions between Inuyasha and Kenshin would be especially fun and interesting… the change from Inuyasha and Kenshin totally misunderstanding and disliking each other to them realizing how much they have in common and learning to respect each other… Quite fun. However, like for a CCS and Inuyasha fanfic, I can't think of a meaningful and engaging plot. It would take place in Inuyasha's time, but I don't want to reuse Naraku as a villain if I don't have to… Any ideas, Halley Vanaria or anyone else? You can just PM me since that'll probably be easier.

As for possible a sequel to this… well I was thinking of finishing the RK series by writing the Jinchū arc, but this time take place in Sakura's time. Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke would travel to the future to Sakura's time. The first half (of maybe a 10 chapter story) would just be all the fun character interactions (aka goofing off) between the Kenshin gang and people like Tomoyo, Tōya, and Sakura's father. Then the second half would be a CCS twist on Jinchū climax-Kaoru's death and Kenshin and Enishi's fight. All of the other Jinchū characters aside from Enishi would be cut. My friend wants the Jinchū segment to take place in Sakura's time and I agree with him, that'll make things different, but… for the life of me I can't think of a present time's replacement of the fallen village Kenshin goes to after Kaoru dies. Until I rectify this, I can't really entertain the possibly of writing this. Any ideas, anyone? PM me if you do, please. Thanks!

However, before I write any other stories, there is another story I want to finish. Before I wrote this crossover, I wrote a Rurouni Kenshin story that is mostly done. I have 12 chapters written of an expected 16 so it wouldn't take that long to finish. However, I do want to go back and make some major edits. For those who are curious, I think the summary would be something like this: Kenshin has finally asked Kaoru if she would marry him and all of the gang is over at the dojo to celebrate. However the festive times quickly come to an end when a mysterious enemy arises that is targeting Kamiya Kasshin-ryū. Under all the lies, deception, and jealousy, Team Kenshin is torn apart. K/K A/M S/M Y/T If this sounds interesting to you, I hope you'll support it when I post it!

Thank you for your review, Halley Vanaria!

Hello, Kura! Aw, that's so nice! It's very motivating to know that you really enjoy reading this, so thank you very much. Well, I think that's a bit unfair to the cast, they'll at least put up a very good fight before they possibly die horrible bloody deaths… XD I'm glad I was able to convey a sense of urgency and panic with so much going on. I was worried it didn't come across. I hope I continue to do this well with this chapter! Thanks for telling me what you think, Kura!

Next Chapter: Sōjirō isn't defeated just yet! Misao and Aoshi had been given a task by Sakura and Kero to do at the Aoi-Ya, but what is it? What bearing does it have on the fight between Rurouni Cardcaptor and Shishio? What lies beyond Sōjirō is the fiery magician swordsman Shishio… and all the while the world slowly ticks towards its own destruction.

I believe I said everything this time, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you, everyone!


	27. Master of Flame!

Here's the moment you've all been waiting for: Enter Shishio! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I wish that Santa would let me own Rurouni Kenshin and Cardcaptor Sakura but alas… I don't think that'll ever be the case. :(

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Master of Flame!

Sakura closed her eyes and braced herself. Waiting for her quick but very painful death. But it never came. Cracking open her eyes, Sakura saw something that shocked her completely.

She saw nothing.

Nothing at least, that was blocking the lightning that was heading towards her, the lightning that should have hit her. Instead of electrocuting the young girl, the lightning seemed to have hit an invisible wall placed in front of Sakura, causing the lightning to branch and arc away from the girl. Using her magic, Sakura saw a large white wing. _Shield Clow Card!_ Sakura smiled as tears ran down her cheeks. She hadn't even sealed Shield personally, or given it the command to protect her, but here it saved her life without any hesitation. _How could I ever think these cards were evil? They're my precious friends!_

The lightning shortly died afterwards and Sakura sensed the shield faded away. Whipping her wand out, the Cardcaptor sealed the card.

Sōjirō panted heavily. He glanced toward the Sōjirō clone behind him, who had reflected the lightning magic towards Sakura. More proof that the Sōjirō in front of Sakura was not a clone created by Mirror.

Further behind Sōjirō were Kenshin and Kero, who were desperate to reach Sakura's side. However, Sōjirō separated the two of them. It was highly unlikely that one of Shishio's henchmen would allow Kenshin and Kero to pass him with ease. Instead Kenshin just cried, "Sakura-chan, are you all right?"

Sakura swallowed and nodded. Then she realized her mistake-Kenshin and Kero probably see her well between the darkness and burning buildings-and she shouted, "Yes, I'm fine!"

At the sound of something cracking, Sakura glanced sharply up. Sōjirō looked down at his sword with a neutral expression on his face. Only now did Sakura notice it was the same sword Sōjirō had used in his fight with Kenshin before the rurouni left to Kyoto, the sword that Kenshin had cracked. Lighting sparks flashed around Sōjirō's sword, particularly around the crack in the metal. The lighting surged and the crack grew wider, until the entire sword lay in pieces on the ground, leaving nothing but the hilt. With the same empty face, Sōjirō released his grip on the hilt. It clattered noisily to the ground. The bodies of the other eleven Sōjirō clones slowly faded from existence.

There was complete silence. Apart from the crackling of the fires of the buildings around them, and the soft hiss of the rain beating down, there was not a hint of sound. At last, Sōjirō murmured, "The strength of protection and unwavering optimism in fate and of people… I thought they were just naïve, unrealistic, and fatal flaws. The weak were the flesh of the strong, Shishio-sama taught me that… That was the truth of my existence." He raised his head to look at Sakura, and then Kenshin and Kero behind him. "But I see now that the strength of protection and optimism is stronger than even the law of nature. The law Shishio-sama said."

" _Īe_." Everyone turned to see Kenshin step forward, his flaming red hair and fierce violet eyes brighter than the fires that surrounded them. "The answers to life are not found by fighting. If that was the case, we would have already found all the answers. No, answers are found through a lifetime, as one repents for the sins they have committed, that it is."

Sakura fingered her wand. Exhaling, she closed her eyes, her mind far away. "Answers are found by believing in those who believe in you the most, by believing that they won't ever leave your side. That is the truth of Rurouni Cardcaptor."

Sōjirō lifted his hand to the side of his head and laughed quietly. "The two of you are tough. Much tougher than Shishio-sama."

Sakura sucked in a breath, excitement banishing her exhaustion. Her eyes widened with the light of hope. "Does that mean you think we can beat Shishio-san?"

Sōjirō was quiet for a moment. "…I don't know," he answered honestly. "But… I will tell you this, Cardcaptor-san. Himura-san." Sōjirō paused to smile at Sakura. Sakura returned his smile. Those were the same words he had told Sakura when they were trapped in the forest outside Kyoto. At that moment, Sakura sensed that Sōjirō's smile had never been more real.

His smiled faded, as Sōjirō continued, "When Shishio-sama's body was burned ten years ago, Shishio-sama still survived. However, all of his sweat glands were burned away. He cannot regulate his body temperature. Therefore, Shishio-sama can only fight at full strength for fifteen minutes." A glint appeared in Sōjirō's eyes. "If you don't wish to die an early death, then you must defeat him within fifteen minutes time."

"I understand." Sakura nodded. She couldn't lose. No, she wouldn't lose against him. Then Sakura smiled again. "Thank you for telling us. You really are nice."

Sōjirō sighed and shook his head. "No, I'm not-"

The quartet startled in surprise when a glowing light descended into their midst from the sky. Recognizing its power immediately, Sakura called out it. "Maze!" A giant grin was on Sakura's face as she chanted the spell to make Maze under her power once again.

"So Henya-san has fallen as well…" Sōjirō muttered, watching Sakura seal the card. He shook his head. "You really do have strong friends…"

Kero, ever to the point, flew into Sōjirō's face and placed his paws on his hips. "Yeah, that's right! And now that we've beaten you and sealed Maze, you'll tell us where Shishio is. You DO know where this Shishio guy is, right? Because we got things to do and not much time to do them."

Sōjirō chuckled again. "Yes, I do know where he is. It is information I promised you, after all." Lifting his head to the sky, Sōjirō shielded his eyes against the glare of the flames. "It's hard to tell, but I believe we have been fighting and conversing for about a half hour. Considering the hour's time it would take you to reach Shishio-sama… you would have a half hour before dawn, the appointed time when Shishio-sama will begin to usher Japan, no the entire world, into a new era."

"'An hour's time'?" Kenshin repeated, walking forward to Sakura's side. "Then is Shishio not in Kyoto?"

Sōjirō narrowed his eyes, his tone becoming serious as he stated, "No. If Shishio-sama was in Kyoto, there was a risk that his fight with you or his plan to take over Japan could be interrupted by the police. Although Maze could have been used to direct police and citizens away from Shishio-sama, if you were to fight Shishio-sama, you needed to have captured Maze to reach him. Therefore, the risk of being disturbed by unwanted outside forces arose once again. Shishio-sama is waiting to fight you a place outside of Kyoto. Had the two of you died, or failed to reach Shishio-sama by dawn, Shishio-sama has his methods for returning to Kyoto to execute his plans.

"He is there waiting for you now." Sōjirō repeated. He closed his eyes and lightly touched his chest with a hand. A small, resigned smile appeared on his face as he said quietly, "But before I give you the exact location, I have something I believe I owe you…"

From beneath Sōjirō's hand, an orb full of light appeared. It floated out of Sōjirō's chest and into the space between Sōjirō and Sakura. Sōjirō collapsed to his knees. It seemed that fighting while controlling eleven clones of himself was an exhausting and monumental task.

Before everyone's eyes the light grew into a shape: a Sōjirō clone. Then it transformed into a young green haired woman with ribbon in her hair. The woman slowly opened her eyes as though awakening from a deep trance. Her expression was at first empty, but upon settling her eyes on the Cardcaptor, the woman's eyes began to fill with tears.

"I can't believe it… you're actually here! We have all waited so long to feel your presence… but I'm afraid we can no longer be called worthy…"

"W-Who is this young lady?" Kenshin asked. He tried to keep the surprise out of his voice, but Sakura could detect the nervous tremble to it.

"It is Mirror's true form," Kero explained.

"The Clow Cards can talk?!" Kenshin exclaimed.

"Quiet, red head," Kero snapped. Sakura glanced up at Kero to see that he had crossed his arms. Kero's grave expression was backlit by the fires. In a more serious voice than Sakura had ever heard from the sun guardian, Kero asked Mirror, "What do you mean the Clow Cards are unworthy?"

Sakura's blood turned to ice. _Wait, what? Is that what Mirror meant?_

Mirror dipped her head, her bangs covering her eyes. "After we were transported to this time, Clow Reed-sama's spell came into effect. We were transformed back from Sakura Cards into Clow Cards and spread out across Japan. While we searched for a way back to you, another… another man found us." Her voice trembled as she continued, "A dark but mighty magician and swordsman… He… He…"

"He did what?" Kero gently prodded.

Mirror raised her head, tears falling from her face, as she shouted, "He has tainted all of the cards!"

* * *

"A-Aoshi-sama?"

Aoshi didn't respond at all. Instead he studiously worked on the magical preparations needed to defeat Shishio. Maybe he didn't answer because he was so absorbed in the task. Or maybe it was because Misao's voice came out like a squeak. Turning away from Aoshi, Misao sighed.

Misao, Aoshi, and Okina remained at the Aoi-Ya. There they prepared an empty room by setting up an ancient magical ritual. Kuro, Shiro, Omasu, and Okon had all left earlier to help evacuate citizens and put out the fires. The ninja within Misao itched to race out the doors and help them, but she couldn't abandon a task assigned to her by the Cardcaptor and the sun guardian, especially when they said that without the ritual defeating Shishio would be impossible. A twelve pointed star was drawn on the floor with chalk. Misao was currently writing ancient Japanese characters within the points of the star while Aoshi crouched behind her, drawing a sun and moon to represent the two guardians. Okina had left the room a few moments earlier to fetch candles and matches. For years, Misao had waited for a chance to be alone with Aoshi, but now that the moment was here… Misao peered at Aoshi over her shoulder. And sighed again.

The last words Misao had said to Aoshi was that he was a demon. That he was no longer the Okashira-she was. It was true that Aoshi stole the Clow Book, the most revered magical artifact entrusted to the care of the Oniwabanshū for the past few centuries… and that he gave it to a vile and satanic man who has now put the entire world in danger… And then on top of all that he had fought the Cardcaptor and her companions with the intent to kill. Well, on second thought, Misao had every reason to be mad with Aoshi.

And yet… Misao couldn't bring herself to be angry. She was upset, of course, but angry, no. She was more… more disappointed. Ashamed that one of their own had betrayed their duty. Her entire life Misao had always looked up to Aoshi. While no one else could see past his cold, seemingly indifferent exterior, Misao had prided herself on being able to tell that Aoshi was a kind, considerate person. He just didn't openly share it. Aoshi was the one who comforted her when she missed her late parents, and Aoshi was the one who cared for her when she was sick. And no one was stronger than Aoshi in swordfights or in magic. Kenshin only won against Aoshi because the rurouni relied on others.

Yes, it was true that Aoshi stole the Clow Book, gave it to Shishio, and battled with the Cardcaptor and her friends, but did that make Aoshi a demon? A man so sinful that he couldn't be redeemed? Misao felt the chalk drop from her fingers.

She didn't know.

And she didn't know if she would ever know.

"Misao?"

She had cried when she learned that Kenshin had believed there was a chance that Aoshi could be returned to her. That's what she wanted all these years, right? To be reunited with Aoshi? And then Kenshin brought Aoshi home with a tired smile on his face, declaring that he was no longer a demon. Aoshi had sinned, but he came back home with a contrite heart (though that couldn't be seen on his face) and was willing to atone for his mistake. He was repenting for those sins even now by obeying the Cardcaptor's order and helping them fight against Shishio. If Aoshi continued in this vein could he one day amend his sinful soul? Kenshin, Kaoru, and their friends believed that Kenshin could one day repent. The Cardcaptor believed it. So did the sun guardian, even if he didn't say it in so many words. But he believed in Kenshin. Respected his example. Then was it possible? Was it possible to repent for an unrepeatable sin…?

She didn't know.

"Misao?" asked a voice, a bit urgent.

Misao jerked out of her reverie and turned to the voice, only for her heart to stop beating. Aoshi, his startling blue eyes, were staring at her. As if they could stare straight into her soul.

"Are you all right?" came his quiet, but serious voice.

Misao paused, digesting the question until it's meaning hit her. "Ahaha!" Misao laughed with fake cheer. "Of course I'm all right! There's nothing to worry about." A smile on her face, Misao stretched, reaching for her chalk that had rolled some distance away. Her voice died in her throat as she whispered, "Nope, nothing at all…"

Aoshi's hand was brushing her fingers. Misao had been grasping for the chalk, but Aoshi had beaten her to it. Misao hadn't noticed, with her slightly blurry vision and all, and now their hands were touching. For the first time in _years_ they were touching.

Aoshi was _real_.

He was _home_.

Did anything else really matter?

Aoshi asked for the second time if Misao was fine, but Misao snatched the piece of chalk and jerked her hand away as though her hand had been burned. She turned around and returned to her half-finished drawing. The female ninja bit her lip, trying her best to calm her shuddering, ragged breaths. She drew the chalk to her heaving chest, gripping the white stick in her two hands with all of her might. Closing her eyes, she searched her heart for the answer. For the truth.

"Yes, I'm all right," She breathed. And she meant it. She hadn't forgiven him yet, and didn't know if she could anytime soon but… Maybe it was just like the Cardcaptor said. Everything in the end would be all right. She just had to have a little faith in the unknown. Have a little hope to light the way when the world she knew was enshrouded in darkness.

"Misao? Aoshi?"

Misao and Aoshi looked up to see Okina and Tsubame in the door way. Okina held the candles, while the poor girl was buried underneath the large unraveling scrolls that she held. Both the candles and the scrolls with ancient spells dating back to Clow Reed's time were vital to the ritual, but it seemed clear to Misao that Tsubame got the short end of the stick.

"Are you ready?" Okina's grave voice asked. Misao eyes flickered to Okina's face. The lines and the set of his jaw were stiff and determined and his eyes burned with devotion to his duty.

Misao glanced at Aoshi. He didn't look at back at Misao, instead his eyes were only focused on Okina. He dipped his head, his expression unwaveringly neutral. But the slightly clenched fingers gripping his clothes revealed his true feelings. Aoshi was nervous. And that scared Misao more than anything ever could.

"And you, Misao?" Suddenly all eyes in the room were trained on Misao. Misao swallowed.

"I'm ready," she answered. And she had to be.

The world would end if she wasn't.

* * *

A wistful smile was on Kenshin's face as he turned to Sakura standing behind him. Kero flew by Sakura's head, but it was Sakura who was the subject of Kenshin's thoughts. There she was, standing with her wand in her hand and dressed in her Cardcaptor outfit. She was just a little girl. She should be home with her family and friends, going to the "school" that she talked to him so much about, maybe even dating Syaoran when she was older… Not here, ready to face an insane man trying to wash Japan away in a sea of bloodshed. The guilt that ate away Kenshin from the inside out contrasted sharply with the smile he gave her. Kenshin would pay for leading her to Shishio one day, Kenshin was certain. If not in this life, then in the next surely.

It was one of his greatest sins.

Sakura glanced at the massive metal gates inset into the rocky walls behind Kenshin. Then she looked at Kenshin and walked towards his left side. Peering up at him, she gave an encouraging smile. "Let's get going, nii-chan."

And yet, Sakura was here willingly. She begged Kenshin to let her and Kero come with him to Kyoto. From the very beginning Sakura had followed Kenshin. She knew the bloody, horrific consequences of being with a former hitokiri, she had witnessed them first hand on countless occasions, but she never stopped calling him her "nii-chan". No child would take on such a responsibility or forge such a relationship with him. She may not have chosen to come to this time period, however, she was a young adult who had chosen this life with him. To be his little sister. To fight at his side and defeat Shishio.

Sakura raised her right hand towards Kenshin, offering it. Kenshin glanced up at Kero, who flew just above Sakura's head on her other side. Seeing Kenshin's gaze, Kero grinned. "Watch cha waitin' fer, red head?"

A sense of relief filled him. He was not alone. Not now, not ever. He reached out his hand towards Sakura and intertwined their hands.

For the ties formed across time to create Rurouni Cardcaptor could not be broken.

Kenshin raised his other hand on his right to a metal handle hanging from the rocky ceiling. It was the switch that operated the gates.

They would face Shishio Makoto together. The swordsman whose skill was so great he assumed the position of Ishin Shishi's top hitokiri when Himura Battōsai stepped down. The magician who only using the Clow Book as a guidance brought the Cardcaptor, the sun guardian, and the Clow Cards into the past. The man who would stop at nothing to spark a civil war to rule Japan and use so much magic that the entire world would tear itself apart.

" _Aa_ ," Kenshin said. "Let us go together."

Kenshin pulled down on the metal handle with finality. With the loudest moaning and groaning Kenshin had ever heard in his life, the large gates slowly inched their way outward. Sunlight poured into the cave tunneled into the mountain, blinding Kenshin and Sakura temporarily. When their eyes adjusted, a large battle arena greeted their eyes.

The battle arena named The Infernal Hall was suspended off a cliff of Mt. Hiei. A surprisingly wide and long bridge spread out before them, creating a path from the gates to the walled arena before them. The arena was surrounded by several large towers. By the large plumes of fire and smoke that breathed out of the top of the towers, they seemed to be burning petroleum. With towers like that, they keep the waning darkness of the night at bay. It wasn't quite dawn, but the sun was close enough to the horizon that there wasn't complete darkness. The sun, plus the light and heat from the towers, ensured that visibility wouldn't be an issue during the fight.

Narrowing his eyes, Kenshin noted, "With the arena hanging over a cliff, there's nowhere to run." However, with Sakura in tow, that wasn't a fact he wanted the girl to dwell on. So without another word, Kenshin began to step forward. A twinge of pain flashed through his side, where Sōjirō had stabbed him. Briefly, Kenshin laid a hand on the bandaged wound.

"It's fine," Kenshin interjected when he noticed Sakura opening her mouth. He confidently strode forward, bringing Sakura along with him. "We can't fail. We won't."

"So you say. But I believe that the Meiji era shall choose its new leader with the outcome of this fight."

Kenshin stiffened. _That voice…_ He had only heard it once before but he could never forget it.

Kenshin, Sakura, and Kero passed through the doorway into the arena. Standing before them was the man who was who ripped Kenshin and Sakura from their lives and tilted their world. Shishio Makoto.

A low, sinister chuckle echoed through the arena. The man's burned lips were drawn sideways and upwards in what may have been called a smile, if it was on anyone else's face. The lips parted to reveal perfect white teeth that gleamed. Kenshin had to suppress a shudder of dread. Kenshin looked up from Shishio's mouth to see his eyes and froze. Shishio's eyes burned like fire, seemingly giving off heat of its own. Then Kenshin realized with a start that they really were giving off heat. Through Shishio's eyes Kenshin could sense Shishio's fire magic that was barely suppressed. But even though Shishio was attempting to suppress it, it was so… it was so _immense_. So much greater than Kenshin's own pitiful magic could ever hope to be. The eyes' consuming hatred was overpowering. It seemed they were alive with wickedness, thriving on it, wanting nothing more than to release it and plunge the world into eternal darkness.

Not if Kenshin had anything to say about it. He released Sakura's hand and walked towards Shishio. Sakura and Kero scrambled after him.

From behind Shishio, a man stepped out of the shadows cast by the wall. Hōji. "So you are both alive after all." He sneered. "I was beginning to think waiting for you two here until dawn was a waste of time."

"Quiet, Hōji." Shishio's low voice rumbled. Hōji stared at Shishio in shock as Shishio said, "He may not have abandoned his vow to not kill, but that only means I have the opportunity to bring out the hitokiri Battōsai within him. As a swordsman my blood boils at the thought. And though Clow Reed was a fool, his chosen Cardcaptor has proven her prowess by defeating and sealing other Clow Cards again with so of few cards at her disposal. As a magician, the magic within me throbs to challenge her-the one who is said to control the world's magical balance. Throwing Japan back into the chaos is not unlike bringing out the chaos within the man in front of me. Defeating these two… is a task as great as conquering a nation."

Laughing quietly to himself, Shishio unsheathed his sword. "And as fun."

Kenshin stared at Shishio for a moment. He closed his eyes, resignation in his facial features. _…Yes, he cannot be persuaded to stop. The fire that had burned his body ten years ago may have put out, but the insanity that fuel the blazes of his soul still burn._ Opening his eyes, Kenshin met Shishio's gaze with a steel stare of his own. He drew the sakabatō out of his sheath. _It begins now._

At the same time, Kenshin and Shishio charged at each other. Kenshin swung the sakabatō to Shishio's chest, however, Shishio blocked it. They engaged in a battle of strength, their swords pressing against each other. _Such strength!_ The jolt of the two swords clashing together had rung through his arm. Kenshin's arm shook slightly as he fought to keep Shishio at bay. His exhausted body could only just barely match Shishio's power. _It's a good thing we decided that Kero and Sakura-chan should stay back until I assess Shishio's physical and magical strength._

A strange smell interrupted Kenshin's thoughts. Fire.

Flames erupted from the end of Shishio's sword. Startled, Kenshin didn't react fast enough to prevent Shishio from parrying the rurouni's sword away. Raising his sword above his head, Shishio released a battle cry as he brought the burning sword down and across Kenshin's chest. Crying out in pain, Kenshin stumbled back. Thankfully, the flames died out before they burnt too much of his clothes.

"Ken-nii!" Sakura cried, worry straining her voice.

"This one is fine," Kenshin insisted. "Stay back, all right?"

"How do you like my _Homura Dama_ Burning Soul, Battōsai?" Shishio smirked as he rested his sword on his shoulder.

Directing his gaze to Shishio, Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Its nature is clear to this one."

"After just one attack?" Hōji gasped.

"This one was caught off guard; he didn't believe that you would use your fire magic on your sword." Kenshin briefly touched his wound on his chest. "This wound… it isn't deep. If, as strange as it would be, you didn't ignite your sword on fire with your magic, then something else was ignited. Something on your sword…"

Lifting his sword horizontally in front of him, Shishio laughed. "…is what? Or are you too afraid to said it in front of a young girl? I thought she was the 'mighty' Cardcaptor." A smug grin twisted his lips. "I guess killing her will be even easier than I thought, if she is so fragile that you're coddling her, Battōsai."

 _Curse you_ , Kenshin thought, his fingers squeezing the sakabatō hilt until his knuckles turned white. In a quiet but resolute tone, Kenshin admitted, "It's human flesh,"

Sakura gasped. Judging by the sound, Sakura was utterly horrified. Kero muttered, "That sick psycho…"

"Is it so surprising that I would live out my beliefs?" Shishio asked. "The flesh of the weak is food for the strong. The sword that will conquer Japan and usher in a new age of strength will be a sword that embodies all of my beliefs."

Kenshin retorted, "The new age you speak of is built on the sacrifice of the weak for the strong… but this one knows that self-sacrifice accomplishes nothing. Nothing but death. There is no meaning in death!"

Shishio's eyes glanced at Sakura behind Kenshin. "Or is there…?"

 _Over my dead body!_ Clenching his free hand into a fist, Kenshin shouted, "Why are you holding back your magic? Don't toy with this one!"

Shishio chuckled. "Yet you shield and hold back the Cardcaptor? And I haven't seen any of your magic either." He placed a hand on his face, with his fingers spread wide apart. His black coal eyes gleamed through his fingers as he grinned, "Is it because you have so little control over your magic that you can't use it to attack me?"

 _Grr…_ A bead of sweat slid down Kenshin's face. Hefting his sakabatō, Kenshin cried, "This one doesn't need to use his magic to defeat you. All that matters is stopping you before all of Japan becomes fuel for your fire." Kenshin lunged towards Shishio, yelling, "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūsōsen!"

But before the sakabatō could even get closer to striking him, Shishio caught the blade with the back of his hand. Kenshin froze, completely shocked. Their eyes met, and a jolt of electricity passed through Kenshin's body.

"Now, Battōsai…" Shishio's lips parted upwards to reveal his wicked teeth. "…will you become fuel for my fire?"

Kenshin tried to speak but found his throat was too dry. _W-What does he mean?_

Shishio opened his mouth as wide as a shark. Silva and spittle flew from his mouth. Without warning, Shishio grabbed Kenshin's head and violently hauled the rurouni towards Shishio. With one last gleam of smile, Shishio sunk his teeth into Kenshin, at the junction between Kenshin's neck and shoulder.

"Aaaaaaahhhhh!"

From the deep recesses of within himself, Kenshin screamed. It drowned out all other sounds, Sakura's and Kero's own shouts of terror, Hōji's triumphant laugh, the sounds of a storm beginning to gather above them. Kenshin's warm, sticky blood flowing down his chest, flowing in between Shishio's teeth, flying everywhere. It seemed to ignite the searing pain from all of his wounds at once, turning Kenshin's vision red. It felt like his entire body was consumed by Shishio's flames. Through this bite, Shishio was injected part of his black magic into him. From the wound Shishio inflicted, Kenshin sensed a malevolent presence wormed its way inside Kenshin, whispering thoughts into him. _You're way too tired and wounded to even lift your sword against him, let alone have a proper fight. You can't win, so why bother trying?_

 _But Sakura-chan…_ Kenshin thought back, feebly. Kenshin felt his energy and magic begin to ebb away with the loss of blood. The rurouni dimly remembered Kero mentioned that blood was connected to magic; losing blood meant losing not only energy to fight but also to use magic. Lot of good it did now.

The malevolent presence only laughed at Kenshin. _And even if you were to fancy for the impossible moment that you would win this fight. What then? You're still Battōsai to the world. There will only be more fighting. You can't possibly win them all._

 _That's… that's true…_ Suddenly Kenshin felt immensely tired. He couldn't lift a finger against Shishio if he wanted to.

 _You will die alone, Battōsai._

Shishio placed his hand over Kenshin's face and shoved the rurouni to the ground. He tried to fight against the convulsions that ran through his body.

"Feh." Shishio spat out the piece of Kenshin's gi that he had in his mouth. Smiling, he wiped his lips free of Kenshin's blood. "Nasty. Neither poison nor medicine."

"Ken-nii!" Sakura ran towards Kenshin's side, Kero on her heels. The Cardcaptor knelt by Kenshin's head, examining the bite wound with a mixture of guilt and nausea.

"Are you okay?" asked Kero, but his question was quickly overshadowed by Sakura.

"Does it hurt? I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that there isn't a healing Clow Card and that I can't do any healing magic. Oh, I knew it. I knew it! I knew bandaging your wounds before we left Kyoto wasn't enough-"

"It is enough." Sakura watched Kenshin slowly sit up with widened eyes. "Do not worry, sister." Through cracked lips and his voice rough, Kenshin said, "Stay back."

Kero protested, "But, red head, you're barely making it as it is. You need us. That's the entire reason why we're here-"

"This one said _stay back_." Sakura gasped as Kenshin's order. "This one has yet to finish his part of the deal." Kenshin stabbed the sakabatō into the ground. Using the hilt for support, Kenshin drew himself shakily to his feet. He stared at Shishio's eyes. _I have yet to see how much magic he has._ His burning, hateful, and vengeful eyes. _I must see how deep his hatred goes for the Meiji government._ That _is the source of his magic._

Putting a hand on his hip, Shishio explained, "You see, the weak have no other purpose in life than to give up their lives for the strong. It is their duty. The strong through their might have all the power and rule the world. The Meiji government is weaker than me. Therefore, they have no right to govern. And I alone, as the strongest of all, must crush the government and rule Japan."

Unable to hold back any longer, Kero shouted, "And don't ya realize that using magic in yer stupid conquest of Japan yer disrupting the magical balance of the entire world?! If the balance is completely broken, natural disasters will tear this world apart." Kero threw his paw out to his side, gesturing to the storm clouds in the distance. "It's already beginning!"

Shishio followed Kero's gaze. With the height the Mt. Hiei offered and the sky's growing brightness of the approaching dawn, it was possible to see beyond the walls of the arena to the sky above Kyoto. Massive, rolling, black storm clouds covered the city, releasing its fury and rage. Shishio grinned. "Yes, I do know. And with the death of Cardcaptor, I shall take on the role and all the Clow Cards. With the powers of the cards in my hand, I can use them as instruments to bring forth the natural disasters. The disasters will bring entire sovereign countries to heel." His eyes took on a maniacal shine as he continued, "Not only could I rule Japan, but the entire world. I won't be a ruler, or an emperor."

Shishio raised his hand palm up in front of him. His whole frame shook as he laughed. He threw his head back and screamed, "I will be a _god_!"

Hōji clapped for Shishio, tears streaming down his face. "Bravo, Shishio-sama! Bravo! All of the people in the world shall bow in fear before you!"

A white knuckled fist gripped Kenshin's hakama, but Kenshin didn't notice. Vision of hordes of people screaming and wailing and running away in terror, only to be consumed by floods, tornadoes, earthquakes… No army of any country could fight natural disasters. _Insane… they're completely and utterly insane…_

"Kero…" Kenshin whispered, "Could he really…?"

Kero stared at Shishio in abject horror. Kenshin had to repeat his question three more times before Kero heard Kenshin. Kero choked, "Y-Yes… if he didn't kill everyone and the world doesn't break apart…" He squeaked, "Yes… yes, he could… Oh, Clow Reed-sama, why did you give this task to us? It's too great…"

Reflecting on Kero's first explanation on the disaster Clow Reed predicted, Kenshin frowned. _I thought the disaster Clow Reed-dono foretold was supposed to be the end of the world…_

 _The end of the world…_ Kenshin grit his teeth so hard his jaw ached. _No… I can't let that happen!_ Kenshin lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes. He shook from the conviction of his words. "The people you say are food survived the Bakumatsu are finally living in peace. No one has the duty to die. Not for men or a cause. This one cannot allow you to descend the world into chaos, no matter what your logic is."

Shishio sneered down at Kenshin. "It is not logic. It is law. And soon I shall write whatever laws I wish. Everyone will worship me."

Kenshin charged at Shishio, swinging his sakabatō, and screamed, "This one will worship no mortal!"

Relying on his inhuman Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū speed, Kenshin disappeared from sight and reappeared in front of Shishio. Bringing his sakabatō up, he smashed his blade into Shishio's ribs. _Yes!_ Kenshin cheered. _With his ribs broken that should slow him down enough to close the gap between us enough that his magic shouldn't make a difference…_

And then Kenshin saw Shishio grinning eyes. The smell of smoke assailed Kenshin's nose as his eyes widened in shock. _He only let me hit him to buy him enough time… enough time to unleash his_ Homura Dama _Burning Soul!_

With Kenshin's sakabatō in Shishio's side, Kenshin was wide open. His sword aflame, Shishio hacked and slashed at Kenshin's exposed chest and legs. Again, the wounds weren't deep, but the flames… they seared Kenshin's skin. The rurouni's legs wobbled below him, too tired to take this abuse. Kenshin was too preoccupied trying to remain standing when Shishio grabbed Kenshin's gi and lifted him off the ground. Shishio cried, "You leave me no choice. One way or another you will fall!"

Shishio's black gauntlet was in Kenshin's face as he held the rurouni. _It smells of… gunpowder._

"Ken-nii!" Sakura wailed.

"The second secret! _Guren Kaina_!" Shishio dragged his sword against the back of the gauntlet, igniting the gunpowder hidden within the glove. The world exploded in front of Kenshin. He went sailing backwards, the sound blast absorbing the sound of his scream.

His last thoughts before the world turned black was, _I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I failed to find out the greatest extent of his magic. But I do know this._

 _His magic… it rivals yours._

* * *

"No, Ken-nii! Wake up, wake up!" Sakura wailed, shaking Kenshin's good shoulder. Tears fell from her eyes and onto Kenshin's pale face.

On Kenshin's other side, Kero cried, "Get up, Kenshin! It's not over yet!"

Hōji laughed in the face of the misery. "Marvelous, Shishio-sama! I never would have thought to put gunpowder in your gauntlet. And to kill Battōsai before even unleashing any _ōgi_ -"

"Silence, coward!" Shishio roared. Hōji was stunned into silence. Waving his burning sword in front of him, Shishio intoned, "It is as they say. It's not over yet."

As the heat pouring on her back increased, Sakura turned her head towards Shishio. Her heart died.

In front of Shishio was another Shishio made of Shishio's fire magic. The fire clone smiled at Sakura, his burning eyes white hot.

"It's your turn, my dear Cardcaptor."

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Aa-An informal yes

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Īe-No

Maze-One of the Clow Cards. It has the power to trap people in mazes in dimensions that it creates. Maze's mazes are fourth dimensional, and can repair walls that have been broken, and raise walls to make them impossible for people to climb over them. It cannot be sealed from the inside. Maze has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to confuse other people.

Mirror-One of the Clow Cards. Mirror can reflect things like a real mirror, and it can create exact mirror replicas of people. Sakura has used mirror to reflect dangers away and to create a version of herself to distract her family while she captures other cards. Mirror can also talk.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

* * *

My friend _insisted_ that I had Shishio bite Kenshin and in including that I ended up with a very similar beginning to the Shishio fight. But now that the clashing principles between Kenshin and Shishio are dealt with, we can get down to business and bite into the new magical stuff in the Shishio fight! It shall still be loosely based on the original fight, but there will be plenty of original stuff coming your way. Also, I need to say that it wasn't my idea that Shishio create a fire clone of him for Sakura to fight, but my friend. How the two fight each other, which will be in the next chapter, will be my ideas. On another topic, if you haven't figured it out already, Henya's card was the Maze. I gave Henya the Maze card because I felt with Henya's "flying abilities" he matched the Maze card. That is to say, Henya's fire flight would allow him to fly over the Maze and have a bird's eye view on things (not that that was portrayed that well in his fight…).

Whoo! I don't know how, but I finished nearly two chapters in just six days! Although I can't keep that pace up this upcoming week with Christmas just around the corner, but after that if I can write that much then maybe I can post chapters earlier than a week! I hope that'll make up in at least a same way all the times you guys had to wait two or three weeks. We'll just have to see what happens. :)

I have a question for everyone about Cardcaptor Sakura: what do the Clow Cards call Sakura? Cardcaptor Sakura-chan? –sama? Just Sakura? Or have they never directly addressed Sakura? If you know the answer, please tell me! Thanks!

Hi, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad you enjoyed, and yes now we are following a normal update schedule every Wednesday. I'm also happy that you have an interest in the possible sequel that I would write to this and thanks again for sharing your ideas with me! When I get the chance I may very well check out Fairy Tale. Thanks for reviewing!

Hello, Kura! Yes, the action doesn't really stop from here on out so I hope you enjoy. Sakura has really grown from the naïve child who clung to Kenshin all the time from the beginning of the story to a strong young woman who can hold her own. I'm happy you noticed. :) Thank you for the review! _Ja ne_!

Next Chapter: With Kenshin unconscious, it's up to Sakura to use her magic and wits to overcome the fire clone. So why does every time Sakura defeat it, it keeps on coming back?

Have a Merry Christmas, everyone!


	28. The Full Deck!

And here is Sakura's portion of the fight against Shishio! Enter major plot twist… mwahaha…

Disclaimer: While this is a fantasy piece, real life is not a fantasy and I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

The Full Deck!

The first thing Sakura did when she saw that tower of flame take Shishio's shape was turn to the unmoving Kenshin on the ground beside her. "Nii-chan! Nii-chan! You have to get up! We have to fight together…" Despite Sakura's cries, Kenshin didn't respond. Seeing his pale, bruised, burned face… The warm smile he would always give her… gone…

Sakura hunched over Kenshin's head, covering her eyes. Tears slipped down her face. Unbidden, a strangled cry escaped from her lips. "Ken-nii…"

"Sakura! Sakura!"

Kero called for Sakura several times until she yelled, "What?"

Kero flew right in front of Sakura's face. He peeled away her hands from her face. "Sakura, listen ta me. You _must_ control yourself. Ya must control yer emotions."

"B-But Ken-n-nii…" Sakura hiccupped.

"Is still alive. And he wouldn't want ya ta lose it. Besides, ya got me. I'm with ya. Yer not alone. Ya never have been and never will be, do ya hear me? Now get up and go get him!"

Tears bubbled over her eyelids, but upon hearing Kero's words, she opened her eyes to stare at him. _Never alone… no, since I've become the Cardcaptor, I've never been alone…_ Sakura saw her wand lying discarded to the side. She reached for her wand, wrapped her hand around it, and clenched it so hard she thought it would snap into two. "I'm not finished yet!"

"…are you done with that pathetic display or what?"

Sakura glared at Shishio as she stood up. She hissed, "I'll show you what I'm capable of." Bowing her head, Sakura closed her eyes, holding her wand out to the side. As she began to chant, the world seemed to fade away in darkness. All that existed was the swelling of the magic within her, its rise like a tidal wave that begged to be released. Her magic circle glowed beneath her, edging her on. In one hand she brought a Clow Card forward in front of her. Then with her thumb, she tilted the card slightly to the side to reveal a second Clow Card behind it. She threw them up into the air. The cards hung suspended, spinning in place as Sakura began to chant. "Cards created by Clow, lend your powers to my Key." She twirled her wand in her fingers like she had done a hundred times before. Raising the wand above her head, Sakura cried, "Transfer the magic dwelling within this card to my Key and grant me your power!" Slamming her wand down into the two cards, Sakura yelled,

"Watery! Windy!"

Just like they had done the first time Sakura sealed the Fiery Clow Card two female spirits burst out of the cards with all the force of the cannon. Windy supported Watery, spreading its waters everywhere with its winds. The fire Shishio was doused in an instant, leaving only hot, heavy steam behind. The exertion of using two elemental cards at once left Sakura breathless. She lowered her wand marginally, a wary smile on her face. "Did I do it…?"

The original Shishio smirked. He snapped his fingers, the sound ringing dread through Sakura. In the place where the fire Shishio had just stood, a fire column rose from the ground. Waves of heat, blinding light, and the smell of ash and soot rolled off the tower. Sakura gave out a cry, and covered her eyes with an arm. Beside her, Kero did the same. Suddenly, the heat, light, and the smell lessened sharply. Confused, Sakura uncovered her eyes and gasped.

The fire Shishio had returned, no signs of any damage on him.

Shishio Makoto chuckled deep in his throat. "You are correct in your assumption that I _do_ possess and am using the Fiery Clow Card to create this facsimile. If I wanted to see you best the Clow Cards and capture them as you've done with all of the cards before, I would only use the Fiery Clow Card. However, in reality this product is the fusion of the Fiery Clow Card and my own fire magic. This allows me for an even greater control of the Clow Card, making it possible for me to call it back and summon it again when I need it…" Shishio grinned, "…and to bend it to my will."

Anger burning in her eyes, Sakura muttered Mirror's words. "'He has tainted all of the cards'…"

Shishio nodded. "Correct. I have imbued a little of my magic into all of the Clow Cards I have and the cards I have given to my magical swordsmen. With my magic coursing through them, tainting them as you say, they are far easier to subject to my will without objection. Even if that means attacking their beloved master Cardcaptor. Of course after I kill you and become the Cardcaptor, there will be no more need for such a method." Behind Shishio, Hōji smirked and crossed his arms.

Sakura's hands shook with restrained rage. This is what she had wanted to avoid from the beginning. Shishio made the cards prisoners, stripping them of their free will and forcing them to commit acts they never would have agreed to doing. _Like attacking me even after I was their master… and killing Ōkubo-sama. Yes…_ Sakura thought. _…the Clow Cards aren't evil._

Sakura had failed in her duty as a Cardcaptor. And that was something she was going to rectify by fighting with every fiber of her being. "How could you do that to them? They're my friends!" Sakura twirled the wand in between her fingers, before entering a fighting position, the wand pointed at Shishio. "And I will fight to take them back!"

"That's a nice look…" mused Shishio. "Such anger and fury coming from a child. But this isn't just a fight to reclaim the Clow Cards. It's a fight against me. Your magic versus mine. And by the battle's end when you are dead, and I have won…" Shishio waved his hand, ordering the fire demon forward. The fire Shishio unsheathed its sword and charged at Sakura, a maniacal glee on its burning face. "…I shall become the next Cardcaptor!"

"It's what you deserve, Shisio-sama!" Hōji crowed.

"Sakura, get ready!" Kero shouted. Sakura braced herself, waiting for the right moment. "Now!"

"Jump!" Sakura sailed into the air over the fire demon's head.

Beside her, Kero started creating strategy. "The best way ta fight is ta keep your distance and attack from afar-Aah!"

Reaching the apex of her jump, Sakura looked to behind her to see a column of fire surging up towards her from the ground. "Fly! Watery!" Wings appeared on Sakura's back and Sakura soared away from the tower just in time to narrowly avoid the fire column. Because Sakura barely dodged the fire attack, she would have been severely burned if she had not called upon Watery to shield her. Sakura landed back on the ground of the stone arena panting and soaking wet as she stared at Shishio with narrowed eyes.

Shishio laughed again as the fire demon took shape by his side. "Escaping in the air isn't an option… what's next, Cardcaptor?"

Sakura didn't rise to the bait. Instead, old strategies and new Clow Cards were weighed silently in her mind. She glanced at Kero, then up at the darkening sky. The unnaturally ferocious storm clouds that had wreaked havoc in Kyoto were swirling above their heads. From the mountain, a faint tremble passed through the bridge to the arena. At this point, magic used by either side, not just Shishio's magic, would further disrupt the world's magical balance. And Sakura's plan to take down the fire clone would cost her a lot of magic. She waited for Kero's permission.

Sighing, Kero nodded. "We have no choice. We must end this now before things get any worse."

"I understand," Sakura answered.

Selecting four Clow Cards, Sakura jumped towards Kenshin's unconscious body. Placing her hand on him, she summoned two of the four cards. Sakura, Kero, and Kenshin disappeared from sight. Upon using the cards, lighting crackled from the sky and the winds picked up significantly. They whipped through everyone's hair and the mountain's rumbling were audible.

Hōji ducked at the force of the wind. "Shishio-sama, the elements are getting worse. If this battle drags on for much longer, there won't be a world to enslave-"

"For the last time, Hōji. Silence." Shishio hissed. He scanned the area, searching for traps. Then with a grunt, he ordered the fire Shishio forward. The mindless Shishio clone lunged, heading towards the spot where Sakura was last visible. Only to hit into something invisible. The flames temporally lost the Shishio shape before they reformed. The fire clone stepped backwards a step before hitting another invisible force.

Rubbing his chin, Shishio named the magic, "Maze. And Illusion to hide the walls and yourself."

Sakura, still crouched by Kenshin, watched both Shishios' movements with rapture. _That… was a lot faster than I thought. All right, part two it is then._ Patting Kenshin's good shoulder, Sakura whispered, "Be safe." The ground's rumbling was the only response Sakura had. Then, after summoning the third card, Sakura ran away from Kenshin, Kero by her side.

With Shishio naming Illusion, Illusion's true form was revealed. The kaleidoscope like pattern of Illusion appeared covering the Maze's walls. Maze's walls appeared before everyone thanks to the kaleidoscope pattern of Illusion's being exposed.

"Hmm," Shishio hummed. "I admit that your ability to hide your own magic and therefore your presence, is quite gifted. Even now with Illusion exposed, I cannot sense your exact location. However, all that means is that you are good at hiding. But let's not forget that I was a hitokiri…" Raising his hand, Shishio ordered his facsimile to go through Maze. "…who lived for the moment of seeing the horrified faces of my prey as I killed them from the shadows."

Shishio's laughter echoed through Sakura's head, in time with her rapid heartbeat. She gripped her wand tighter, holding the last Clow Card to her chest. _I won't go down so easily!_

The fire Shishio advanced through the now visible maze heading towards Sakura. Changing Maze's walls and shifting the paths to Sakura was futile. With Illusion's true form making Maze's walls visible, any changes to Maze would be seen by all. Sakura back up against a wall, a dead end in Maze. She stood there, clutching the wand and card, waiting.

With a roar, the fire Shishio charged past the last corner to Sakura. Sakura looked up in surprise, her eyes wide. She let out a scream as the fire Shishio plunged its sword towards her.

"Erase!"

Another Sakura jumped over the wall bordering the dead end. The fire Shishio looked to his left to see the Sakura. Appearing as though it was confused, it looked at the first Sakura. It turned into a green haired woman who smiled before she vanished. Mirror.

As Sakura fell from her jump, Sakura could faintly hear Kero shout, "Remember yer emotions!"

 _Yes…_ Emotion was the source of all magic. It was what fueled Shishio's fire demon. If she wanted to eradicate it, then she couldn't just rely on the Clow Card to defeat it. Closing her eyes, she poured her emotion into her magic. _For too long Shishio-san has run loose. I won't let him use other people to hurt others any longer. I am strong, I can do this! I will erase the curse you have placed on the world!_

Far behind Sakura, lighting struck one of the fire towers surrounding the arena. The scent of ozone in the air exploded as the fire in the tower soared over twenty feet in the air. Against this backdrop, Sakura slammed her wand into the fire Shishio. The swell of magic within Sakura burst, traveled down her arms and the wand, where it pierced the fire Shishio.

With a horrific scream, the fire demon vanished without trace. Sakura landed on her feet, triumphant. The walls of Maze and Illusion evaporated into the dark sky. Sakura looked over her shoulder to Shishio, the wind violently whipping at her Cardcaptor outfit.

"I win."

Shishio grinned. Thunder boomed. A familiar wave of heat crashed against Sakura's back. Her feet became rooted to the spot as the realization of what it was. She hadn't been fast enough. Or clever enough to realize that Shishio knew what her plan was from the beginning.

Either way Sakura was dead.

"Sakura-chan!"

Just as the newly created fire Shishio demon was about to strike Sakura's back and kill her, something tackled Sakura. A scream filled the air as the fire demon met its mark.

Sakura's neck snapped back at the force of the tackle and she hit the ground with her head. Stars blinked in her vision for a moment before they cleared. Also, there seemed to be a heavy weight on her chest… With her vision restored, Sakura looked.

Gasping, Sakura sit up. A smoldering body lay on top of her. Kenshin.

"Nii-chan!" Through the sudden well of tears in her eyes, Sakura could see the horrible burns on Kenshin's back. An enormous amount of guilt went through Sakura; how many times had he saved her when she had failed with her magic? Without waiting for a response from Kenshin, Sakura summoned Watery to soak Kenshin's burns.

Kenshin groaned. Then he slowly sat up, panting heavily. He must have been in excruciating pain. But still he smiled at Sakura and asked, "Are you all right?"

Sakura just sobbed, " _B…baka_."

Kenshin chuckled. "Hey now. That's Li-kun nickname for me. Not yours."

Kero flew over to the pair, shouting their names. Seeing that they were mostly all right, Kero sighed in relief. Kenshin turned to look at the fire Shishio who had reappeared at the original Shishio's side.

"There are three ways for non-magical people to fight a magician with a Clow Card…" Kenshin recited, his eyes lost in memory. "Knock them unconscious. Break their mental concentration. Force them to use so much magic they are too weak to use any more. Is that right?" Kero returned Kenshin's nod. A slow grin appeared on Kenshin's face. "Well then, I think our choice is obvious, that it is."

Sakura listened to Kenshin and Kero, and a smile grew on her face as well. She met Kenshin's eyes. "Yes. _Our_ choice. We fight together." Kenshin nodded. Sakura spun her wand around before striking a pose, the blood inside her pulsing for action. Kenshin flicked his sakabatō out of his sheath as he stared down at Shishio.

Shishio watched their exchange with an almost neutral expression. However, one corner of his lips was curled upwards, as though a part of his was pleased that Kenshin wasn't dead. On the flip side, Hōji looked disturbed. "H-How… you've been burned by the _Homura Dama_ and blasted by the _Guren Kaina_. Your body is clearly near death. How can you stand?"

Shishio laughed and threw out his arms to the side. "Ah, how this brings me back. Years ago my flesh and blood were transformed into an inferno. Now _you_ rise…" The Shishio clone materialized out a column of blazing fire. From the bottom of his lungs, Shishio yelled, "…to make me burn yet again!"

Shishio and Kenshin launched at each other, swords bared like fangs. Sakura was left to confront the man of fire as it sprung itself at Sakura. The sounds of metal clanging on metal as Kenshin and Shishio battled each other faded away from Sakura's ears. As the Shishio of flames charged at her, Sakura calmly deduced other methods of combating fire. She sighed. There simply wasn't any. Not with the Clow Cards she had. And yet… Sakura held up two Clow Cards. Kenshin was by her side now. She had to believe in him. Things _would_ be different this time. Sakura was sure of it.

Just as Shishio's fire facsimile's hand was about to clamp over her face, Sakura said, "Shield. Windy." A shield of wind cocooned Sakura, buffing the fire Shishio. However, Windy's winds only delivered oxygen to the flames, making them leap and grow. But Sakura wasn't finished yet.

While the fire swirled all around her, Sakura raised her wand above her head. Sakura called upon not only the Windy Clow Card, but also the winds of the storm. They blasted the fire Shishio with such force, his form began to waver. It was a risky gamble that only worsened the magical balance, but it gave Sakura the opportunity she had been waiting for.

 _Now._ "Shield!" Instead of reinforcing her shield to protect herself, Sakura used the Shield card _around_ _the fire Shishio._ Inside the air tight space of shield, there was no chance for oxygen to feed the air deprived flames. The flames began to die. With a snap of her fingers, the shield trapping the Shishio clone shrunk to the size of a marble, vanquishing the flames once and for all.

"It's over!"

At the sound of the voice, Sakura looked up, startled. Yet again, Shishio held Kenshin by the neck and had lifted him in the air. "Not yet," Shishio panted. "It's not enough. If it's pain you need to become Battōsai…" Shishio laughed, "…shall I help you turn back then?" However, he raised his hand out towards Sakura. The fire Shishio reformed in front of Sakura. Kero said something about colorful candy under his breath.

"…And for you," Shishio said to Kenshin. "…how about another glimpse of death with my _Guren Kaina_?"

Sakura's lungs constricted. _That's the move that almost killed Ken-nii!_ But Sakura put her faith in Kenshin. _He's come too far to turn back._ And she had her own foe to deal with.

She knew the demon would regenerate; it had a couple of times already. The key was in stopping him from reviving. And this time, Sakura knew how. "Watery, Windy, come forth! Watery, Windy! Release and dispel!"

Torrents of water assailed the fire Shishio. As with the first time Sakura used Watery in conjunction with Windy, the fire Shishio evaporated.

The sound of an explosion rocked the air, but Sakura didn't turn to look. They both had their battles to win, and she had to trust Kenshin could fight as he promised.

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Ryūtsuisen Dragon Hammer! Ryūsōsen Dragon Flight! Ryūkansen Kogarashi Dragon Spiral Wintery Wind! Tsumuji Whorl! Arashi Storm!"

Sakura smiled as she felt Kenshin release his magic to support himself as he attacked. _Take that, Shishio-san. Ken-nii_ can _use his magic to fight._

Shishio stumbled backwards. Hōji gasped, nervous sweat streaming down his face. Lighting split the sky with its arcs, and thunder split everyone's eardrums. The horizon grew brighter as the time crawled towards dawn and Shishio's takeover of Japan. Then with a sickening twist, Shishio straightened and grinned at Kenshin, despite the blood running down his chest. "Is that all you have?!" Hōji cheered.

With Shishio's recovery the fire Shishio rematerialized. _It really is Shishio-san's magic…_ Sakura thought. _They're connected…_ Then Sakura lowered her head and chuckled. She glanced sidelong at Kenshin. Kenshin caught her gaze.

They both grinned.

Kenshin crouched with his sakabatō in hand. "The mind can overcome such pain. All who choose the life of battle know this. But a world that would force such pain upon the weak, who have not chosen bloodshed… that this one will not allow!

Sakura twirled her wand with both hands before posing. She poured her heart and soul into her words and magic. "As long as people like Ken-nii exist, people who have done wrong, but do everything in their power to make things right, I will continue believing. Believing that there is good in this world despite all the evil people do!"

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Kuzuryūsen! Nine Headed Dragon!"

"Transfer the magic dwelling within this card to my Key and grant me your power! Clow Card!"

Kenshin unleashed the dragon within and in the time span of a person blinking, had struck Shishio eight times.

The amount of magic drenching the air around the arena finally became too much. Heralded by lightning and thunder, the floodgates of the heavens opened, drenching the world. Cracks and gorges spider webbed their way across the arena floor, spiraling out from underneath Sakura's feet. Then it was as though a pair of massive hands seized the arena and shook it with all of their might. Earthquake.

"Avalanche!" Hōji yelped.

With a deafening crack, a colossal boulder dislodged from the top of Mt. Hiei that stood behind the arena. Its fall knocked over other stones and boulders that cascaded their way down the mountain, destroying everything in its path. The first massive boulder hit another boulder on its left, spun, smashed into another stone on the right, and then spun as it fell towards the arena. Right towards Sakura.

Kero screamed, "Sakura!"

Sakura only laughed. The blood roaring in her ears, her heart beating like crazy from adrenaline, the euphoria she felt from using more magic than she had ever in her life… Sakura could feel the dirt and mud falling down onto her as the boulder was about to violently crush the very life from her body. She had never felt more _alive_.

Sakura reached up her hand, her fingers straining to go higher. The boulder came within a hand span of her fingers before she screamed,

"EARTHY!"

She threw out her hand forward. The boulder, helped by Earthy, responded to her command and shot towards the fire Shishio demon with the force of a rocket. At the same time, Kenshin hit his hilt of the sakabatō against the original Shishio's chest, sending him flying into and then through the back wall of the arena. The boulder smashed into the fire Shishio, who disappeared instantly. And, following its momentum, the boulder kept moving until it crashed into the same back of wall of the arena, a little to the right of the hole the original Shishio made. Hōji, who stood in between the two holes and had watched Shishio and the boulder come flying in his direction, flinched. He was certain that he was going to die. After breaking the arena wall, gravity overtook the boulder. The massive stone tumbled down into the cavern below the arena, ricocheting off the walls. It was a hollow, grinding noise that rang in everyone's mind long after the effect.

"Sweet mother of candy…" Kero muttered, disbelief coming off of him in waves.

Hōji whipped out a watch and looked at it. Fifteen minutes and ten seconds. "S-So…" Hōji stumbled. "He couldn't beat the fifteen minute limit…? But Shishio-sama can't lose… he can't…" With his last words, Hōji fell to his knees.

There were three ways to combat a magician without magic. Make them lose conscious, break their concentration, or force them to use so much magic they don't have the energy to use magic anymore. The first option would have been the same as winning against Shishio and not very helpful, the last choice too dangerous, which left the second option. Every time Kenshin let up in his assault against Shishio even for a moment the fire Shishio revived. But now that Kenshin had blasted Shishio into the wall, and Sakura destroyed the fire Shishio yet again at the same time, Shishio wouldn't be able to summon the fire demon again.

With just two moves, both Shishio Makoto and the fire demon were defeated.

Following using so much magic, Sakura felt all of her energy leave her in a rush, turning her knees to jelly. Still, her exhaustion couldn't match the pain Kenshin felt, so she soldiered her way over the cracked arena to Kenshin's side. He only stared at the hole Shishio made and didn't acknowledge her presence. But that was all right, Sakura thought as she laid her head on Kenshin's bloody hakama. He was alive. They had did it. A tried smile appearing on her face, Sakura closed her eyes. They had won.

"Sakura-chan." There was an edge of warning in his voice.

Sakura's eyes flew open. It was hard to make out between the rain, the thunder, and the last of the avalanche's rumblings, but Sakura thought she heard laughter. Suddenly the fire from the towers surrounding the arena erupted into bonfires. They had been dimmed by the rain previously, but now they lit up the arena like it was day.

Kero whispered, "Shishio's magic…"

Shishio emerged from haze of rock dust and walked through the hole. Blood trailed from his head and his mouth, but his eyes were cold and unfeeling, almost as though they were dead. Slowly he raised his hand to waist level, palm up. A strange sense of dread gripped Sakura. They hadn't seen anything yet.

"Clow Cards," Shishio chanted. "I summon thee. Come forth."

Sakura frowned. _Clow_ Cards _? Shouldn't he only have…?_

* * *

Slowly, Syaoran gathered his feet underneath him and stood up. Placing a hand on his hip, Syaoran smirked, "I guess that your machine is all washed up. Now…" Turning serious, Syaoran raised his other hand and summoned his sword. Pointing the sword at Iwanbō, Syaoran chanted, "Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Card!" Syaoran didn't have the ability to seal Clow Cards, but nonetheless the chant still served as a means of calling forth a card's natural form.

Recognizing Syaoran as its master, the Clow Card within Iwanbō began to glow, about to materialize itself. A glowing ball of light left Iwanbō and settled midair before Syaoran. After a moment, the ball of light transformed into a young girl.

The sight caused Syaoran's eyes to widen and his jaw to drop. _W-What…? How can this be?!_

The young girl was mostly red and pink. She wore a sleeveless dress with baggy pants that harkening images of clowns. Over her dress was a short pink tutu. Her pointed elven ears were pierced with ginormous red earrings. Across her forehead, red balls created an unusual headband. She smiled sweetly at Syaoran and Syaoran knew. Everything they had thought was wrong. It wasn't only a select few from the present, but all…

"You're…" Syaoran whispered, in horrified awe. "You're… _Power_."

* * *

Dozens of glowing balls materialized by Shishio. One after another and another and another and another and another… Each one representing a Clow Card that was not defeated by Sakura or Syaoran.

Confused, Kenshin narrowed his eyes at the gloating glowing balls surrounding Shishio. "What are those? Are those… Clow Cards?" They looked like the essence of Clow Cards… that couldn't be true. It couldn't. It wasn't. He had asked Kero and Sakura to tell him everything at the night in the Aoi-Ya and they wouldn't lie or withhold information for him… not after everything they had been through together.

"It… they are," Kero breathed. "They are Clow Cards. Then I was wrong. I-I can't believe this is happening…"

Sakura gasped, "We thought only the originals came to the past… but we were wrong…"

"But how?!" Kenshin wheeled onto Sakura. Her eyes went wide with fright, causing a part of Kenshin to feel guilty, but there wasn't time for such emotions now. There was too much at stake. He grabbed Sakura's shoulders. "But how can there be more Clow Cards?!"

The light in Sakura's eyes died. She murmured, "52…"

"What?" Kenshin asked.

"There are 52 Clow Cards, not 19. Syaoran-kun and I have 16 cards between the both of us. Shishio-san has the rest."

Kenshin's lips quivered as he mindlessly repeated, "52…"

Watching Kenshin's horrified expression, Shishio laughed. "You mean you didn't know, Battōsai? Clow Reed created 52 cards. In the five months since the Cardcaptor had come to this time, bringing the Clow Cards with her, I have been collecting and subjugating the Clow Cards all across Japan. Many cards of different powers and abilities…" Shishio lifted a hand and a glowing ball drifted towards his hand. When he named the card, its true form briefly came into existence. "Cards like… the Shot, which can attack its target with greater speed and accuracy than a bullet. The Create can create anything I desire. Imagination is the limit. Then there's the Storm, the Big, and the Freeze. Even worthless cards like the Move and the Silence are at my command. I could use any one of these cards to kill you where you stand. The difficult part will be choosing the method of your death." It didn't seem possible, but Shishio's grin became even smugger. "Tell me again how you were going to stop me?"

Unable to stop his tremors, Kenshin released Sakura. _Clow Cards that can rip apart the earth, or possess people, or help destroy the world with its imbalance… Dangerous Clow Cards that fights against just one are battles of life and death… Shishio has 30 some cards… Cards that I have no idea what sort of power they have or what abilities or what they control… and, and…_

"We're dead," Kenshin mouthed. "We're all dead."

"No!" Someone shrieked. Two small fists pounded into his legs. "No, you can't give up! You… you have to help fight! It'll be all right. We can make something of this. But I can't do this without you! I need you!" But Sakura's cries had fallen on deaf ears.

Kenshin squinted his eyes, but he could no longer see the world in front of him. He certainly felt strange. Like something was inside Kenshin, banging against his chest and head just dying to release itself. It hurt. But that physical pain was nothing compared to the depth of the overconsuming despair he felt.

 _I can't fight… I'm too tired. I can't protect… I'm too broken. I can't win… when I'm dead before I began. I failed everyone… Katsura,_ Shishō _, Misao-dono and the Oniwabanshū, Tsubame-dono, Yahiko, Sanosuke, Kaoru-dono… Li-kun, Kero, and Sakura-chan… now all that's left is for me to die…_

Kenshin screwed his eyes shut, and then blinked several times, trying to focus his hazy mind. _Was that my thoughts or that malevolent presence that entered me when Shishio bit me?_ Did it matter? Of course not. He was going to die. Did anything matter?

His vision going completely black, Kenshin dropped the sakabatō.

Something within Kenshin snapped. It cracked and shattered, breaking free from its cage and flew into the outside world.

"Kenshin."

Kenshin didn't open his eyes. He couldn't see anything anyway. The world seemed to be completely made of black.

"Himura Kenshin, open your eyes and arise. Your time is neigh."

 _Who…?_

Bewildered, Kenshin opened his eyes. As he had suspected the world was made of black. To ensure that his eyes really were open, he put his hand to his face. But he still saw nothing.

"I have been born from your despair, but now we come forth to bestow upon you hope."

 _Hope… that's an alien feeling. I haven't felt it in such a long time…_ And yet visions of his time with Sakura, Kero, Kaoru, and the others flooded his mind. Kenshin closed his eyes as he tatted the memories. The happiness he had felt when he was with him… A warmth spread outwards from his chest.

When Kenshin opened his eyes again, the world was still made of black. Or at least mostly black. But even in the darkness, he could still see himself and the two very strange women standing before him. One white haired woman wore predominately white clothes while the one who Kenshin guessed had spoken to him, the woman who was standing in front of him wore garments woven out of black. The black of her clothes and hair seemed synonymous with the shadowy darkness of the world. Almost like she was darkness incarnate…

The words came unbidden to his lips. "Darkness…? Are you a dark Clow Card?"

The woman in black smiled, but her mouth didn't move. Her words seem to plan themselves inside his mind. "Close. I am _the_ Dark Clow Card. And this is my sister, the Light Clow Card. Normally, you would have to name me and call upon my sister before we would reveal our natural forms, but you are not the Cardcaptor and will not be sealing us. Plus, as the Sun Guardian Kerberos-sama reminds me," she nodded to Kenshin's right. "…you have only known magic has existed for a little over five months and have trained your magic for far less."

Kenshin looked to his right to see Sakura and Kero smiling up at him. Sakura flashed Kenshin a peace sign. She explained, "I've done all this before. But this is all I can do for you."

"Oro?" _Done what?_

The Dark Clow Card raised her hand, gesturing to the space around them. "You are all currently under my domain of darkness. You see, my sister and I are the strongest Clow Cards, along with the four elemental Clow Cards. We alone have complete mastery over light and darkness in the world… and in a person's heart."

Kenshin's heart sunk. He knew where this was going.

"Since you had agreed to journey with and protect Cardcaptor Sakura, I have resided within your heart, strong warrior. Your heart then was filled with much darkness-loneliness, misery, self-inflicted emotional pain, guilt, regret, and self-hatred. If you had not met Cardcaptor Sakura, I fear at what would have become of you."

Kenshin closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Everything Dark had said was true. He may not have realized that Dark was within himself this entire time, but what she saw there was the truth. Having Dark recited his feelings aloud in this dark, empty world made Kenshin feel unnaturally exposed. Vulnerable. Defenseless. But then he remembered that only Sakura and Kero were at side; he had nothing to hide from them. And yet…

Kenshin ducked his head, his bangs covering his eyes. In a husky, choked voice, Kenshin whispered, "This one is ashamed that you found so much darkness within his heart, that he is…"

Dark's eyes seemed to soften. "Do not forget the Ying-Yang symbol. There is a bit of darkness, but not evil, in every good person and vice versa. It is true that there is a part of you located deep within your heart that will always be made of darkness. The part of you that you call 'Hitokiri Battōsai'. But there is nothing to be ashamed of that darkness. If not for darkness, there will be no light. If you had not been Hitokiri Battōsai, you would not have become a rurouni, helping just as many, if not more people, than you have killed or harmed. You would not be here, with Cardcaptor Sakura at your side, fighting against the man named Shishio Makoto for the sake of the world."

Kenshin despaired, "It there really much of a difference between darkness and evil…?"

Dark inclined her head again. "Yes. A world of a difference. One does not imply or mean the other, though they are often linked. There is no such link within you. Even as you slaughtered others, it was for the sake of principles of light, not of the vices of evil that so many others fought for. One can wield the darkness within them and turn it into a force of righteousness, as you did. But I cannot give you all the answers. The rest you must discover, and believe, on your own."

Was that not what Kenshin had told Sōjirō? Still a bit shell shocked, Kenshin numbly nodded.

One of the corners of Dark's lips lifted. It wasn't quite a smirk, nor a smile. "But despite all this darkness of my domain, you can see yourselves and each other." Hidden within Dark's words was a challenge, an unanswered riddle that only Kenshin could complete.

Frowning, Kenshin contemplated the answer. He looked down at his hand, turning to see the palm and the back. _Why can I see myself in darkness…?_ Then the answer hit him. After all it was staring at him in the face. Literally. Or the root of it anyway.

"It's light," Kenshin replied. "This one is-is giving off light. This one is… is glowing." Sakura grinned, grabbed his hand, and squeezed it, shaking it a little in her joy. Kero exhaled in a proud manner. Kenshin supposed he was correct then, as bizarre as the idea was. "But why? What does that mean?"

Dark didn't answer Kenshin, only silently prodded him with a gesture of her hand.

After thinking about it for a while, Kenshin recited, "'Your heart then was filled with much darkness…' It is not now. Despite all the darkness in my heart, there is…" Again Kenshin felt the pull of tears and he worked to speak past the lump in his throat. "…there is a little light…"

Dark beamed. "Yes, that's correct. My sister, Light, has dwelt in Sakura's heart. Sakura's and my sister's light have washed off onto you. But that is not the source of the brightness within you. After the Bakumatsu you kept your promise of life despite the death it was giving you. But you must realize something. You have yet to fully internalize your master's teachings. If you wish to break my domain, and let Cardcaptor Sakura seal us, you must show that you can internalize his teachings, if not now, then one day in the future." The forms of Darkness and Light began to fade. "Until then you shall remain in darkness…"

But their vanished forms didn't faze Kenshin at all. _Oh gods… this isn't happening. It can't possibly be true… Me? This worthless, unworthy, murdering monster… has light in his heart?_

Something squeezed his hand. Kenshin looked down to see Sakura smiling softly at him. "Nii-chan…?"

However, Sakura never saw him like that, only loved him. But it wasn't just Sakura who saw him that way. All his friends in Kyoto and Tokyo, believed the same. And… hadn't he begun to see himself in that light, too? In particular, Kenshin's words that he had shouted at Aoshi during their fight, his cries of "This one is so much more than hitokiri Battōsai" rang through his mind. _I can't believe this… this is too amazing and fantastical to be real…_ And yet another part of Kenshin felt like he was soaring. _It_ is _true. I have helped people. I am more than who I was, I'm whoever I want to be. I can and will repent for my sins._

Kenshin crouched down and his hands clasped something. _…I only need to open my eyes and arise. My time is neigh._ The familiar feel of the sakabatō Kenshin had dropped was warm in his hand as he thought, _My time…_

 _To fight._

"Return to the form you were meant to be, Clow Cards!"

Something within the world of darkness snapped. It cracked and shattered, breaking free its victims from its cage into the outside world.

Kenshin blinked against the sudden rush of light. Sakura gasped beside him, and Kenshin turned to look. In her hands were three Clow Cards. Light, Dark, and a card that had "POWER" on the bottom.

"Hoe? Where did this card come from?" Sakura asked.

"One of our friends must have defeated a minion of Shishio's," Kero enlightened. "It must have taken Power a long time to get from Kyoto to here on Mt. Hiei. And look!" Kero cried, pointing. "There are the kid's cards!" Sure enough, in front of them were Watery, Wood, Glow, and Flower. They nodded at Sakura, acknowledging her as their master, before disappearing.

Sakura glanced up at Shishio, who was surrounded by the glowing balls of light representing the remaining Clow Cards. For everyone else, Kenshin marveled, it was as though time hadn't passed.

"Still…" Sakura said. "It's not enough. We need more Clow Cards. We need them all." Turning away from Kenshin and Kero, Sakura raised the end of her wand up into the air. "Light Clow Card!" A pillar of light shot into the sky like a flare. Sakura looked at Kenshin and Kero over her shoulder, the light column casting strange shadows over her face.

"It's time. Time to enact our plan."

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Baka-Idiot, dummy, stupid

Earthy- One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Earthy is one of the two cards that Kero needs Sakura to capture before he can transform into his final form. Earthy can control the earth and cause earthquakes.

Maze-One of the Clow Cards. It has the power to trap people in mazes in dimensions that it creates. Maze's mazes are fourth dimensional, and can repair walls that have been broken, and raise walls to make them impossible for people to climb over them. It cannot be sealed from the inside. Maze has little fighting potential, but Sakura has used it to confuse other people.

Mirror-One of the Clow Cards. Mirror can reflect things like a real mirror, and it can create exact mirror replicas of people. Sakura has used mirror to reflect dangers away and to create a version of herself to distract her family while she captures other cards. Mirror can also talk.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Ōgi-The ultimate secret or best move of a sword style

Ōkubo Toshimichi-Based on a real historical figure of Japan. He was a leader of the Ishin Shishi from the province Satsuma who became a major official of the Meiji government. He was the Chief of the Department of Internal Affairs. The manga declared him as the most important man in Japan because of the political power he welded.

Watery-One of the Clow Cards. It is one of the four elemental Clow Cards, Windy, Watery, Fiery, and Earthy. Watery is aggressive water female spirit that can control water.

* * *

Haha, you didn't think I was going to have all 52 cards did you? Throughout the fic I made sure I only used the cards from the original 19 of the manga. As for the fight itself, I had Sakura use cards like the Maze, Mirror, and Earthy because Sakura either never used them or used them only a couple of times. Instead of it coming across as being thrown together, I hope that the cards working together made for a cool fight. How much longer is the Shishio fight? In case you're wondering I figure it might be another chapter and a half maybe. Something like that. Yeah, it's long, but it's Shishio. :) And I've been lazy with the dictionary again! Yay!

Hello, Kura! Haha, yes it's a fire Shishio thingamabob. XD And yes, of course Sakura will defeat it! I'm a sucker for happy endings, so… And… *tilts head to side and scratches head* so far isn't Sakura the only living Cardcaptor? So of course she's the best. XD Sakura definitely did kick (or in this case blast) fire Shishio into the next century or off a cliff. I'm glad you're enjoying and thanks for the review!

Hiya, Halley Vanaria! Whoops, sorry! Thanks for correcting me. Your "Ohohoho" reminds me of Megumi. XD Anyway, I'm glad you are enjoying this and thanks for the review!

Next Chapter: The exact nature of what Misao, Aoshi, and Okina are doing at the Aoi-Ya is revealed-they're working on a giant spell but for what? And Sakura and Kenshin must enact their plan to face all 52 cards at once… in the only way Sakura knows how.

Thanks for reading everyone! Shishio isn't beaten yet, so I hope you stick with it!


	29. Cardcaptor Shishio!

Enjoy this massive 28 page chapter detailing the last of the Shishio fight!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura. I am only "borrowing" them.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Cardcaptor Shishio!

The air was thick with magic as Misao stood in the middle of the magic circle, chanting spells under her breath. Her fingers twisted as though they were dancing to the rhythm of her words. Weaving her Kuji Kiri magic into spells of protection and power was difficult; it was a more difficult task than she had ever done in her entire life, but she couldn't fail now. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her arms and legs quivered, but her voice came out sure and strong.

"Misao."

Still casting spells, Misao cracked open an eye to see Okina at the edge of the magic circle she and Aoshi had drawn on the floor earlier. Misao nodded before closing her eyes and finishing her last spell. As soon as Misao finished, Okina stepped in the circle and began chanting himself. Walking on what felt like wooden stilts, Misao staggered out of the magic circle.

Tsubame turned away from her post by the window to ask Misao, "Are you all right?"

Misao cast a glance at Okina then silently nodded at Tsubame. She didn't want to break his concentration. Plopping onto the ground, Misao tried to relax. Misao, Okina, and Aoshi had been taking turns casting spells the entire night, waiting until Sakura's signal. What made matters worse was before Sakura left the Aoi-Ya, Sakura had taken a bit of magic from all the magic users she knew, including the trio casting spells. Exhaling, Misao rested the back of her head against a wall and lazily looked out the window. It was fast approaching dawn and still there was no signal… Misao was getting worried. _I just need to place my trust in them, that's all._

"Is this what you want?"

"No, I need something more like…"

Misao looked up to see Aoshi discussing the content of various scrolls with the dark haired man. Even though a few weeks had passed since he asked for a part time job at the Aoi-Ya, no one knew anything about his background. An enigma he was.

"There!" Tsubame cried, pointing out the window. Piercing the dark clouds of the stormy sky, a pillar of light appeared to the northeast of Kyoto. A pillar of light from Mt. Hiei. "There's Sakura-chan's signal!"

As Okina finished his spell that he was chanting, Aoshi snatched the Clow Book of the Meiji era from its resting place on a table. Okina stepped out of the magic circle, nodding to Aoshi. The candlelight eerily lit up Okina's serious expression. Aoshi, however, barely cast Okina a glance; he was too focused on the task given to him by the Cardcaptor. Casting spells under his breath, Aoshi placed his hand on the cover of the Clow Book. Instantly, the magic circle and the Japanese characters drawn on the floor began to glow. The licks of flames of the candles leapt into the air. Despite the increase of light, the room seemed to darken somehow. As Aoshi called upon them, each of the Japanese characters began to glow in a different colored light. "Source of light with ancient spin, send forth the magic power within. Oracles of Gold, Wood, Fire, Earth, Cloud, Wind, Rain, and Electricity: come forth! Cast off your creator's spell and heed the Cardcaptor's plea. Suspend the magic instrument of concealment, suppress and bind it!"

The barrier spells that Okina and Misao had been chanting all night long suddenly grew into effect. These spells were meant to prevent any magic from entering or leaving the barrier. It was cast not on Sakura and Kenshin in some far off mountain, not over Kyoto which was in danger of being split into two by earthquakes, not surrounding the Aoi-Ya, but the barrier was placed over the something in the very room everyone was in.

The Clow Book.

* * *

"It's time. Time to enact our plan."

Sakura looked at Kenshin and Kero, waiting for their approval. Kenshin solemnly nodded, and clenched his fist. "We cannot allow Shishio to run amok any longer. The battle for the world's fate has only just begun."

Kero, on the other hand, was much more apprehensive. "Sakura, are you sure about this? The most you ever did at once was eight, and that was a long time ago…"

Sakura shook her head, "And I've only grown stronger since then. Plus," Sakura held up her wand. "I borrowed some of everyone's magic before we left the Aoi-Ya just in case something like this would happen. That combined magic power should be more than enough to equal Yue-san's magic, even if it is only for a moment. One moment is all I need." When Kero still appeared hesitant, Sakura pleaded, "Please, Kero-chan. I can't do this without you."

Kero was silent for a long second. He sighed, "All right, Sakura. I trust you."

Sakura smiled, her eyes glowing. "Thank you. That's all I need." Without looking back, Sakura walked towards Shishio, Kenshin and Kero at her back. They stopped when several meters separated them.

Shishio chuckled at the determined expression on Sakura's face. "Still you resist me and my fated rule? I suppose it wouldn't be very much of a fight if you just give up. These," Shishio lifted his hands to his side, gesturing to the many Clow Cards' light orbs that surrounded him. "…these Clow Cards that you call your friends will be the end of you."

Kenshin raised his voice and taunted, "You would use someone else's power to prove that you are the strongest of all? You're nothing but a hypocrite, that you are."

Shishio snorted. Placing a hand on his hip, he explained, "I have realized that conundrum as soon as I learned of Clow Reed's existence. That's why I tainted the Clow Cards in the first place. Not only would they commit acts they would not of otherwise, but they are entirely powered by my magic, not Clow Reed's, not the Cardcaptor's. Mine. They are my cards." Shishio grinned and cocked his head to the side. "Maybe I should call them Shishio Cards."

"They're powered by Shishio's magic?" Kero said in an awed whisper. "To power that many cards at once… his magic rivals Clow Reed-sama's magic…"

"And I am stronger than Clow Reed-san," Sakura cut in. Taking a step forward, Sakura challenged, "How about a bet, Shishio-san? You want to be the next Cardcaptor, right? Controlling the Clow Cards is a big part of the role, but it's not the only part." Sakura tilted her head back, letting the rain fall over her as she recited, "It's about being the mightiest, the most powerful magician in order to keep the world's magic in balance.

"So far you've shown that you can 'seal' the Clow Cards and that you can change the world's magic balance. But there's one thing that you haven't done yet."

Intrigued, Shishio rubbed his chin. "Oh?" He cocked an eyebrow at Sakura. "Do tell."

Slowly, Sakura lowered her head to stare at Shishio. The man who was more demon than the fire spawn he had created. The man whose actions could very well inadvertently destroy the world. "You haven't shown that you are stronger than me."

Shishio raised his sword in front of him. Within a blink of an eye, flames consumed it. Clow Reed was a fool that couldn't recognize the source of the strength: ultimate power." Shishio spun in a circle, his sword trailing a burning wave of fire. "I am the one thing that is stronger than all others!"

Sakura threw her wand out to the side, shouting, "Then prove it! For I will erase the taint you put on the Clow Cards and transform all of the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards at once!"

Silence. Aside from the sounds of the storm, the entire arena was silent. Shishio regarded Sakura without comment, probably wondering if Sakura was strong enough to convert all 52 cards into Sakura Cards under her power at the same time or not. Hōji, for once, wasn't gloating when he asked, "And how do you expect to do that?"

"Yeah, Sakura-chan," Kenshin added in a whisper from behind Sakura. "How will you overcome Clow Reed's spell he placed on the Clow Book and Clow Cards?"

Sakura smirked. She and Kero had already figured out how. She needed to reclaim the Clow Cards from Shishio. There was only one way Sakura could think of: transforming the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards. To do so, breaking the spell Clow Reed had placed on the Clow Book, the Clow Cards, and the wand was necessary. The spell that Clow Reed created ensured any time traveling Clow Cards and the wand were the same state as the Clow Cards and wand of the time period the they traveled to.

So what to do? _That's where Aoshi-san and Misao-san come in_ , Sakura thought to herself. Aoshi, Misao, and Okina's task was twofold. First, using ancient spells, they broke Clow Reed's spell on the Clow Book. However, breaking Clow Reed's spell would greatly weaken the magic of the Clow Book. The Clow Book's magic would be so little, the seal on the Clow Cards it contained would break. Then came the second step. Having two sets of Clow Cards active at once would destroy the balance of the world's magic. Therefore Aoshi, with Okina's and Misao's support, placed a magical barrier on the Clow Book. In place of the Clow Book, the barrier acted as a seal on the Clow Cards.

At Sakura's signal Aoshi and the others undid Clow Reed's spell and cast the barrier on the Clow Book and its Clow Cards. Now Sakura could transform the Clow Cards Shishio had into Sakura Cards without fear of upsetting the world's magical balance too much. That is, if Sakura had enough power to transform all 52 cards at once. If Sakura could prove herself stronger than Shishio and overcome the taint he infected all of the Clow Cards with. It all came down to a match of magical strength, of willpower between Shishio and Sakura. Could she do it? Sakura didn't know, but she couldn't just let the world crumble before her eyes.

Sakura glanced up at the sky and murmured, "We can't wait any longer." The storm clouds above the mountain stretched on for miles, raining down their rage of thunder and lighting. Rain fell in torrents, soaking everything below. The wind ripped its way through everything while earthquakes still shook the earth below them. "Things will only get worse." Sakura turned to smile at Kero and Kenshin, who nodded at her. "I have to do this." After Sakura uttered those words, her wand transformed into the Star Wand, the symbol of Sakura's magic.

"Wow…" Kenshin said in awe. "Is that…?"

"They must have broken Clow Reed-sama's spell," Kero said. "But…" Kero gestured to Shishio's Clow Card light orbs. "Even though the spell is broken, the cards aren't changing back inta their normal forms as Sakura Cards. Shishio's tainting has interfered. It seems that ya have ta overcome Shishio's power and transform all 52 Clow Cards into Sakura Cards at once."

"Well," Kero said quietly, "Ya'll need me ta do it." Sakura turned her head to the side to see Kero extending his paw towards Sakura. "I'm not in my true form and we're using the stored up magic from everyone to replace Yue, but… I have faith in ya. Ya've grown so much in all da time we've been here. I believe in yer power, Sakura. Save the world."

"Kero-chan…" Sakura whispered, tears in her eyes. Then she nodded with determination. "All right."

Kero was lifted higher into the air before an inner light enveloped him. Closing her eyes, Sakura raised the Star Wand. The star of the wand began to spin as Kero became a yellow mist. Strands of the mist swirled around Sakura's wand before it entered it completely. In a burst of light, the wand transformed yet again. The five pointed star had four more points, symbolizing an increase of power. The wand grew in length; it was almost twice Sakura's height.

"Now," Sakura stated. "Now is the time."

A glowing magical circle appeared below Sakura's feet. Wind burst out from Sakura, blowing her hair and clothes wildly. The world seemed to darken, the light of the approaching dawn swallowed by black. Sakura held the Star Wand in front of her. At Sakura's call, her and Syaoran's Clow Cards surrounded the Cardcaptor as balls of light. Despite the darkness, an inner light of courage shown through Sakura's eyes. There was a determined set to her mouth and jaw. "Let's do this."

"Hmph," Though Shishio tried to appear nonchalant, no one couldn't see the excitement building up in him. A sadistic smirk twisted his mouth as he entered a fighting stance with his burning sword. "A test of might, my magic against your magic… the winner shall be the mightiest. I will kill you and Battōsai and become the strongest Cardcaptor magician of all of the world." A fire magic circle blazed into existence underneath Shishio's feet as he screamed, "No, of all time!"

Sakura lifted her giant wand into the air. "Clow Reed foretold that I would be the strongest magician. I have surpassed even the creator of all of these Clow Cards. I draw my power from the light of the stars, which shine through the darkness. By my name as Cardcaptor of the Stars, you will be stopped!

"Cards created by Clow, abandon your old form and reincarnate under the name of Sakura, your master!"

The glowing essence of the cards transformed into their Clow cards forms. At the same time Shishio and Sakura released all of their magic in a fierce battle of wills to control the cards.

It was unlike anything Sakura had ever known.

The rest of the world seemed to fade away as though there had never anything else. As if the entire world, the entirety of Sakura's existence was this darkened world of magic where a battle of magic raged. It was an intense struggle.

However, thankfully, the Clow Cards she and Syaoran had captured transformed easily. It was only a matter of imposing her will upon them. Since Sakura had sealed them, Shishio's taint had disappeared and the cards were fueled by Sakura's power. While Shishio tried to combat Sakura's order to the Clow Cards at first, the cards recognized that Sakura was their true master and resisted Shishio's meddling. Sakura's and Syaoran's Clow Cards transformed into pink Star Cards. _That's 19, including Power, Light, and Dark…_ All that remained was the 33 Clow Cards powered by Shishio.

As if sensing Sakura's dread and consequently drop in magic, Shishio's deep chuckled resounded through the area. _You cannot win, Cardcaptor. It is futile. You, the guardian, and your precious 'brother' will die by my hand._

 _N-No… I can't… I won't let anyone die!_ Sakura thought. And yet… fighting Shishio was like Sakura had been plunged into the darkest depth of the sea where there was no light, no other soul, only darkness and the overconsuming desire to breathe. It was like trying to swim upwards to air against miles of underwater pressure. One swam until they couldn't move their limbs anymore, only to realize they had no idea which direction was up. Shishio's magic was so vast, so compressing, so domineering… it was incomprehensible. And it was more than Sakura could take.

 _Nrgh…_ Sweat trickled down Sakura's brow as her tired arms began to shake. Despite Sakura trying her hardest, she was barely changing the cards. The line of transformation from a Clow Card to Sakura card was only about a third of the way up from the bottom of the card. For a moment, Sakura wondered, _Can I… can I really do this?_

 _Believe in yourself!_ A voice shouted in her head. The voice was slightly echoy, as though it was coming from a far place, but its urgency pierced through the darkness. Sakura recognized the voice's owner in an instant. Kero. _You must pour your emotions into your magic!_

Sakura blinked at the voice. Then she nodded. _Right, I have to believe that I can do this!_ Sakura thought. With Sakura's internal proclamation, the transformation line soared. But not for long. As soon as Sakura began to open her heart, her mind became victim to horrible tragedies. Visions flashed before her eyes. Images of an all-consuming fire accompanied by the scent of burning flesh. The feel of sliding a sword into a person's stomach. Dozens of slaughtered bodies unmoving on the ground.

 _Wha-What are these?_ Sakura thought, horrified.

 _These are my memories, Cardcaptor,_ Shishio answered Sakura. _Emotion is the root of all magic, and emotions are quite tied with memories, no?_ Shishio chuckled, _Of course I don't have to explain this to someone like you. These are the moments that I keep forever burning in my mind; they fuel my desire to crush the government, and rule Japan and the world. My desire for my justice to mark the world is the source of my magic. Against that… what can you possibly do?_

 _I… I…_ Sakura closed her eyes, a shudder running through her. In the face of Shishio's iron will, doubts began to plague her mind. _He wants to rule the world. To make the world's magical balance to make people afraid. How can… how can people be so, so evil?_ Magic within Sakura ebbed away, leaving her arms to become lead pipes. _W-Why…?! Why are there people who enjoy watching others suffer?_

 _It's because they do not understand how good it feels to help another_ , a voice answered. Arms encircled Sakura, filling her with warmth and appreciation. _They do not realize that true happiness comes from giving that happiness away._

 _K-Ken-nii…_ Sakura thought, touched.

 _Don't be afraid of Shishio, Sakura-chan,_ Kenshin's soft voice resounded in her head. _You are not alone. This one shall help you as well. This one's magic is yours._

 _B-But!_ Sakura cried. _Magic is like a person's energy. If you give it to me… with you beaten up so bad I don't know what will happen to you…_

 _This one will be fine, because we are by each other's side._

While Kenshin's voice said this in her head, a sudden rush of magic flowed into Sakura. Each person's magic was slightly different and Kenshin's felt… like a warrior basking in the warmth of the sun. It was strong, but gentle. Firm, but soothing. _Just like my nii-chan…_ thought Sakura tenderly.

When an image of someone's blood splattering the ground came into Sakura's mind, Kenshin instantly replaced it with the memory of everyone having a picnic by the stream. When Shishio stood over a child about to kill them, Kenshin recalled the time when Sakura threw orangeade at the rurouni and Sano. When Shishio cut someone in half and then set them aflame for the sake of training, Kenshin summoned the memory of everyone bickering with each other at Hiko's cabin. The despair and fear Shishio would have instilled in Sakura vanished in the brightness of the memories Kenshin showed her. Shishio's memories could have haunted Sakura forever, but Kenshin gently reminded her that the time she spent with everyone would last forever in her heart. Sakura was filled with a hope that she had never known. Consequently, the transformation line of the Clow Cards reached the midway point. But Sakura's rejoicing was short lived.

When the pair was shown a memory of Shishio standing over a cowering young blood-soaked boy in the rain, something changed. A voice in her head said, _There will always be violence… it's a part of life._

Sakura started. _Where did that come from?_ she wondered.

A flash of a young red headed boy being scolding by a man came to her mind. _Ken-nii… as a boy? Is this is memory?_ Sakura guessed. The flashback continued, showing the man shouting at the boy. Calling him a filthy slave, the man struck the boy's face. _A-A slave?! I didn't know nii-chan used to be a slave. How horrible!_

 _A new era may be here, but it probably won't be that long until another war. Then more people will die for a pointless cause… it's inevitable._

 _Is that…_ Sakura speculated, _…Ken-nii's thoughts?_

 _It is Kenshin's inner beliefs,_ Kero answered. _His acceptance of the inevitability of violence is disrupting our magic. The red head's thoughts are too similar to Shishio's beliefs._

 _No, that can't be!_ Sakura cried.

There was a sudden drop of the magic they emitted. Magic required a free spirit, not a troubled, confused heart. _Wh-What do I do?!_ Sakura thought in a panic. _I…_ Everyone's magic that was mean to replace Yue was starting to diminish; it was taking them to long to transform the Clow Cards and their magic supply was running low. _If Ken-nii and I can't face Shishio with a clear heart… my magic will keep fading away and then…_ Sakura was shook to the core as a realization hit her.

 _…I… I won't have enough magic to transform the Clow Cards._

The pressure on her lungs tripled, crushing her. Sakura saw black spots in her vision. A creeping cold spread out from Sakura's core. Sakura closed her eyes as the cold swept through her, knowing the cold was a sign of her rapidly depleting magic. _If we lose here and I can't transform these cards into Sakura Cards then…_ Everything faded to gray. … _Shishio wins. He'll take over the world…_ With its icy tendrils, it froze her entire body before it lastly seized her heart. Sakura gasped, pain lacing through her body. _I'm dying._ Suddenly the wand in Sakura's hands felt like the weight of the entire world. Her fingers began to let it go.

 _…And everyone I love will die._

Although there was no one who could possibly hear her, Sakura screamed,

 _I can't let the world end!_

 _That's right, you won't! You just keep on hanging in there fighting for us!_

 _Yeah, hang in there!_

Sakura blinked, confused. _Kaoru onee-san? Yahiko?_ A flicker of warmth appeared in her chest. _What are you…?_

 _Do you really think we would let you fight for everyone all by yourself?_ Yahiko's voice asked in Sakura's head. He snorted, _Don't insult us. We of Team Kenshin fight until the very end. And besides…_ Sakura could hear the grin in Yahiko's voice as he said, _you have to win against Shishio to see me become a master of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū and you the best Cardcaptor you can be!_ Dakara _..._ gambatte _!_

 _The kid is right,_ Sano's voice interrupted. _While you've been fighting Shishio we haven't been sitting on our butts, you know? We're supporting you. I'm not so good at this stuff so I'll keep it short: kick Shishio's ass for me!_

 _H-How…?_ Sakura marveled, utterly blown away. _How is this possible?_ she wondered.

 _It's your magic!_ Kero exclaimed. _Your plea for help-it reached everyone! And now they are giving you all the magic they have!_

 _U-Um… is this working? Sakura-chan, can you hear me?_ Tsubame's timid voice resounded in the Cardcaptor's mind.

Though she hardly dare believe this was happening, Sakura answered, _Yes… Yes, I can hear you._

 _Oh, thank goodness,_ Tsubame exhaled in relief. _Some of us may not have magic, but we can still give you our support. We can still share with you our feelings, our hopes and dreams that you'll succeed here and at everything you do in life. You're the best friend I ever had, so I know without a doubt that you can do this!_

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but her face lit up with an inner glow. _You're my best friend, too, Tsubame-chan. You and Yahiko-kun and everyone..._ And Sakura could feel her friends' feelings pulsing through her, giving her weary self strength. Instead of almost letting her wand slip from her fingers, she gripped it will all her might. To let go of the wand was to abandon her friends and their magic within the wand. Sakura vowed to herself to never let it go again!

 _Magic is tied to the soul,_ Kero explained. _The connections you've made with everyone in the Meiji era, the ties you formed with everyone across time, they go straight to the soul. When your soul and magic cried out for help, they heard and answered!_

 _As if you really need any encouragement_ , Misao smugly said. _You could probably fight Shishio on your own and then some. But seriously, I couldn't possibly repay you for bringing Aoshi-sama back to me. This is the least I can do for you. I promise that after all this is over you, me, and Himura will go on a joyride touring Kyoto!_

 _Sakura-chan._ A soft, but mature voice whispered.

 _Kaoru onee-san…_ Sakura smiled, her heart leaping at just hearing her voice again.

 _Sakura-chan, I know that you miss your old home. But just remember that we're your family here, too. Family doesn't have to be people related by blood-or even people of the same time period! The Kamiya Kasshin-ryū dojo is your second home._

 _H-Home…_ Sakura thought, holding back sobs. _All this time I wanted to go home to see my family when I already had a family and home here… I love everyone here so much._

Kaoru continued, _I am convinced, Sakura, that our meeting was not by chance. You have a purpose to fulfill here in the Meiji era. And that time is now-to fight Shishio and win. But after all that… as I told Kenshin, let's all go back home to Tokyo,_ ne _?_

 _…Yes, there will be violence in life._ Surprised by Kenshin's voice, Sakura stilled and listened to him intently. _But for every violent act, there is a face, a face of a person who is kind to you. Seeing them smile makes living a life of fighting worth it. I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, for disrupting our magic. But let's never forget this very simple fact…_ Kenshin smiled in Sakura's mind, _We of Rurouni Cardcaptor will be together forever, that we will._

 _Yes…_ Sakura whispered. _Please,_ Sakura begged, _let me be able to go back home… to be with my family and friends forever…_

Channeling her wish into her wand, Sakura pushed her magic into Shishio's magic. A white light flared, illuminating the darkness briefly. The transformation line on the Clow Cards reached at the third-fourths point. _Yes, it's working! I have to keep going! Come on, come on…_

Sakura sensed Shishio's magic retreat from beneath Sakura's onslaught. However, it didn't last long. Like a vice grip on Sakura's soul, Shishio fought against Sakura. His crazed madness and insanity… Sakura couldn't make sense of it. And in her moment of confusion, Shishio turned the tides. The transformation line plummeted.

 _No!_ Sakura cried.

The transformation line stopped at a shaky fourth …for now. The longer the battle raged, the more likely Sakura would give in from sheer exhaustion, help from her friends or no. _I don't understand… I'm giving everything I have. My friends are helping me, too. So why can't I transform the cards?_

 _Because you can't win when you're forgetting a large part of who you are._

Sakura gasped, shock freezing her in place. That familiar but impossible voice… could it be… who she thought it was?

* * *

Gripping the windowsill, Misao gazed outside the window, searching for a sign. _Is Cardcaptor-sama all right? Can she do this?_

Almost as though he could read her thoughts, Okina said, "It is impossible for us to judge whether or not Cardcaptor-sama is succeeding."

"…" Misao bit her lip, her eyes downcast. "Cardcaptor-sama can do it… after all we just sent her all of magic we could spare…"

"No. Sakura can't do it. Even after all that, she still doesn't have enough magic."

Misao and Okina turned around to see that strange young man standing behind them. Without acknowledging them, the man walked to beside Misao by the window. "She may have found other people who have watched over her in this time, but she still is denying a part of herself. It's a conflict within her that she has been ignoring all this time. And Sakura will never win if she is fighting herself when facing someone with no doubts." The man smirked, but there was a touch of sadness, of finality to it. "I guess this is where I come in."

"I came to this time…" the man muttered, his eyes lost in memory, "…carrying all the hope and love from the family and friends she left behind… to help her in her darkest hour."

And right before their eyes, the man blurred. He floated slightly off the ground and became transparent like a ghost before disappearing entirely.

* * *

 _You haven't forgotten about me have you, monster? About any of us? Because we_ _miss_ _you, you know…_

 _T-T-T…_ Sakura's mouth tried to form words, but it couldn't. It simply wasn't possible. After a moment, Sakura inhaled a giant breath and shouted,

 _Tōya onii-chan!_

The only response was a chuckle, but Sakura recognized it as Tōya's laugh regardless. Suddenly memories cascaded into Sakura's mind. Memories of sitting around the table with her father and Tōya. Attending school with all of her friends. Doing chores around the house while trying to keep Kero hidden. Practicing cheerleading drills with Chiharu, Rika, and Naoko. Playing soccer at recess with Syaoran. Falling for Yamazaki's crazy lies. Skating to school alongside Tōya and Yukito. Doing homework with Meiling. Dressing into a thousand different costumes with Tomoyo. Fighting and capturing Clow Cards with all of her beloved friends supporting her.

As the memories flashed through her mind, Sakura began to shake. Her heart trembled with longing. _I want to… I want to go… home._ She had always buried these memories behind her smile. Had focused on cheering up others in the Meiji era, than allowing her to remember just how badly she wanted to return. But now… _More than anything I want…_

And then another voice pierced through Sakura's troubled mind. A voice that Sakura had been subconsciously waiting for, that with each and every new voice speaking in her mind she became more and more worried. Was he all right? Was he hurt? But his voice penetrated Sakura's doubt, alleviating her concerns. His strong, warm voice said only two words.

 _I'm waiting._

One last memory came to the forefront of Sakura's mind and replayed itself.

 _Though tears were still fresh on her cheeks, her determination shone like the sun in her eyes. "I want you to keep it. There is something I want to tell you, but I won't say it now. Because I want to let that be one more reason why I have to do my best to defeat Shishio and return."_

 _Unsure, Syaoran glanced between the offered card and the resolve in Sakura's eyes. Then he smiled. "All right… if you say so. But, Sakura, you always do your best in everything you do."_

 _Hearing those words, a wave of his love crashed into her. Sakura laughed Syaoran's name, causing more tears to fall. Syaoran let go of the card to hug Sakura fiercely. He whispered in her ear, "I… I'll always wait for you. Forever and ever…"_

 _Sakura never wanted to let him go. Smiling, Sakura buried her face deeper into Syaoran's shoulder. "And I will always come back to you…" ..._ Syaoran, my love _._

Syaoran was waiting for her. And Sakura had promised to come back to him. To tell him something, something very, _very_ important!

 _Yes… Yes…_ Tears streamed down Sakura's face. A glow from deep within her began to shine. Her magic returned in full force tenfold. The overwhelming desire to go home… to see her family and friends in the present and the past… to tell Syaoran what she promise to tell him… for a moment it was even stronger than Shishio's aspirations of ruling the world.

Something deep within Sakura surged forth. Bursting out of her, it destroyed the dark world of magic in but a moment. As Sakura descended into unconsciousness, a flash of blinding light turned everything white…

* * *

"Sakura-chan! Wake up!"

"H-Huh…?" Groggily Sakura opened her eyes to see Kenshin sitting over her.

"Are you all right?" Kenshin gently guided Sakura into a sitting position with a hand on her back.

"U-Ugh…" Just the movement of rising made Sakura sick to her stomach. The use of so much magic made Sakura feel empty inside. After taking a moment to steady herself against Kenshin, Sakura looked around. It appeared that they were back to battle arena by Mt. Hiei. Judging by Hōji's startled expression, time hadn't passed while they were in the dark world of magic. Above their heads, the storm seemed to have stopped momentarily. The ground below them was strangely still. It was almost seemed like there was a hush over the world, like it was waiting for something…

"Ahaha… haha…"

Confused, Sakura and Kenshin looked up to see Shishio stumbling towards them, laughing. He cocked his head up at Sakura, a sadistic, maniacal grin on his face. Despite the blood on his face there was an unnatural happy gleam in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine. In a throaty, low voice, Shishio proclaimed,

"You lose, Cardcaptor."

"H-Hoe?" With a gasp, Sakura watched helplessly as the large wand within her hands shrunk. It reverted to its normal Star Wand. As though the wand had rejected him, Kero flew backwards out of the wand, hitting the ground. The wand continued to shrink until it became its key pendant form. Glowing twinkles surrounded Sakura, or more specifically, Sakura realized, her clothes. Her clothes changed from her Cardcaptor dress to the kimono she had been wearing at the Aoi-Ya. And with the transformation, Sakura felt magic leave her. A horrible dawning realization began to take form in her mind.

 _"If those of you who don't have magic have to fight someone with a Clow Card, it is still possible to win. There are three ways: Knock them unconscious. If you do, the card should leave them. The second way is to break their mental concentration. Magicians must focus to order and control a Clow Card with precision. If you upset them, or distract them and make them lower their guard, their magic will be disrupted. That will be your chance. The last method is the most dangerous. If a magician uses enough of their magic that they are so weak they can't use any more magic, the Clow Card will no longer acknowledge them as their master and leave them."_

It couldn't be possible… It just couldn't.

 _The last method is the most dangerous. If a magician uses enough of their magic that they are so weak they can't use any more magic, the Clow Card will no longer acknowledge them as their master and leave them."_

"N-No…" Sakura murmured. "No, no, no, no, no…"

 _If a magician uses enough of their magic that they are so weak they can't use any more magic, the Clow Card will no longer acknowledge them as their master and leave them…_

 _Uses enough of their magic… no longer acknowledge them as their master…_

Sakura clawed her face and screamed, "NO!"

"Yes, that's right…" Shishio taunted. "That look of horror… that is what I live for!"

The twinkles of light around Sakura left her, heading towards Shishio. The key pendant shot towards Shishio, who grabbed it with his free hand. In a dazzling array of light, Shishio transformed before everyone's eyes. His purple kimono became embroidered with a gold design. Black ink appeared on every bandage on Shishio's body; their markings were that of ancient spells. Shishio's sword became lit aflame again with unholy black fire. The pommel of his sword transformed into something resembling the end of Sakura's wand. In place of a star was a black sphere of nothingness.

In her battle with Shishio, Sakura used all of the magic she had left within her. Despite her friends helping her, their combine magic spanning miles, Sakura had no magic left at all. But Shishio did. And because of that…

Shishio lifted his sword into the air. The earth shook and the storm renewed itself as he shouted, "I am Shishio Makoto, Cardcaptor of the dark void of Outer Space!"

Tears fell down Sakura's face, but she didn't notice. Her lungs burned for air, but Sakura couldn't take in another breath. Her arms and legs quivered, but Sakura did nothing to stop the tremors. She felt nothing. Nothing at all. Only one thought was in her mind.

 _I failed…_

"N-No, this can't be possible!" Kero cried. "Yue will never accept you as the next Cardcaptor. Ya would never pass his judgment!"

Shishio smirked, "And why do you think I left that fool behind in the future?" Kero was struck dumb. At Kero's expression, Shishio only laughed.

 _I failed…_

Shishio pointed his sword at Kenshin and Sakura. "Now as my first act as Cardcaptor, in order to leave no room for doubt as to who is superior, I will kill you, Battōsai, and you, former Cardcaptor." No one moved a muscle as Shishio slowly approached them.

 _I failed…_

But in the midst of Sakura's anguish, one voice shouted about all the rest. "No, don't give up hope yet! There's still one last thing we haven't used…"

* * *

As Kenshin watched Shishio menacingly walk towards them, Kenshin loosened his grip on the sakabatō hilt. They had already tried to fight against Shishio's 30 some Clow Cards by making them Sakura Cards. What else could they do? Now Shishio had 52 Clow Cards and all the powers of the Cardcaptor. There was nothing a mere swordsman like Kenshin could do…

 _Yes, that's right…_ The malevolent presence that had entered Kenshin when Shishio bit him whispered in Kenshin's mind. _You can't possibly win. Even if by some miracle you do, your life will be filled with nothing but fighting. There may be friends waiting for you, but you're too exhausted to lead a life of fighting for their sake._

For a second, Kenshin let the evil presence have its way. Its pull on Kenshin was so strong. Really, he was utterly _exhausted_. Its logic was sound. His entire life was bursting with fights. All Kenshin wanted was peace, for himself, his friends, for Japan. But to live was to fight.

And Kenshin was so sick and tired of fighting.

The world seemed to lose its sound as Shishio strolled towards them. Hōji's cries of praise of Shishio, the thunder, the earth's quaking, faded away. All that filled Kenshin's sight was a blazing Shishio smiling down at him.

 _You're too tired to fight anymore…_ The presence murmured to Kenshin. _Let the next generation face Shishio._

 _The next generation…_ Kenshin's eyes unconsciously flickered to Sakura sitting beside him. Her face was completely drained of blood. Her eyes were sightless. Her mouth hung open muttering an incoherent mantra. No, it sounded like…

"I failed…"

The despair in Sakura's voice… it shattered Kenshin's heart, banishing the weakness within him. Kenshin would never, let his weakness cause his beloved little sister pain. _Never_!

In one smooth motion, Kenshin stood up and sheathed the sakabatō. Falling into a crouch, Kenshin shouted, "No, don't give up hope yet! There's still one last thing we haven't used…

"The Amakakeru no Hirameki."

Hearing the name of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū's _ōgi_ , Shishio paused. "Oh, right. You haven't used it yet." Shishio hung his head, shadows covering his eyes. His shoulders shook. "Do you really think…" He raised his head and grinned at Kenshin. "…a puny move like that could win against the most powerful being in the universe?!"

Kenshin gripped the sakabatō hilt with his right hand. Kenshin said quietly, "No. But it will with someone's help." Turning his head to Sakura, Kenshin pleaded, "Sakura-chan, this one needs you. The fight isn't over!"

Kero looked up at Kenshin with open awe on his face. Sakura, however was unconvinced. In a desolate voice, Sakura asked, "But what can I…?"

"You can believe in this one. When you believe in this one, that everything will be all right, it gives this one strength." Kenshin smiled lovingly at Sakura and said, "It makes this one invincible. So please, believe in your older brother."

A little bit of light appeared in Sakura's eyes. She muttered, "My invincibility spell… everything will be all right… Yes…" After a moment, Sakura clenched her hands into fists and nodded.

Shishio chuckled, "I don't know when I've had so much fun. Not since the Bakumatsu, surely. And yet, I do still have a country to rule, and a world to conquer. I'm running out of time to play with you."

Turning to Shishio, Kenshin took a step forward. "For this one there is little 'fun'… accomplished as you may be. And yet, if you wish to speak of time, Shishio, you must know the age of the hitokiri is long since past."

Shishio smirked, "So long as I bear this sword of human flesh, it shall never end!"

"It ended when this one took up the sakabatō."

"Now!"

Shishio and Kenshin charged at each other at the same time, their inhuman speed blurring their figures. Kenshin stepped forward with his left foot and swung at Shishio from the left. Instead of hitting Shishio's body, the sakabatō clanged against the metal of Shishio's sword. Sliding his sword down the sakabatō, Shishio deflected Kenshin's blade.

Hōji grinned, "Shishio-sama has reflected it! So much for your 'ultimate secret'!"

"The final act has come." Dragging his sword along the entire length of its sheath, Shishio set his sword aflame in a black fiery tornado, fueled by human flesh and magic. "The last move. _Kaguzuchi_!"

Sakura stood up and cried, "Nii-chan! I believe! I believe that together we can do anything!"

 _Yes… that's right…_ Kenshin thought as he felt Sakura's magic pour through him, much, much stronger than ever before. _Anything… Anything at all…_ After Shishio parried Kenshin's blade, Kenshin kept on pivoting on his heel.

"What… what the hell?" Shishio gaped.

Shishio was being sucked into the space between Shishio and Kenshin. The air pushed out by the deflection of the first strike had created a vacuum, sucking objects into it. A vacuum aided by Sakura's magic. The Amakakeru no Hirameki was god speed battōjutsu. All battōjutsu of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū were all based on two step attacks! The Cardcaptor could use magic other than just relying on the Clow Cards!

"Aaaahhhh!"

Kenshin smashed his sakabatō into Shishio's side, launching him into the air. Screaming, Shishio flew upwards, then crashed into the ground, leaving a man sized crater. Kenshin fell to his knee, gasping for breath. Sakura and Kero rushed to his side. But before they could inquire about Kenshin's health, Shishio began to rise.

"Ngrh… Ergh… Bleaaaaargh!" Stunned, Kenshin could only watch as me sort of strange, bubbly liquid spewed out of his mouth. Shishio's body began to convulse as red steam poured from Shishio's body in waves.

Hōji stammered, "Shishio-sama can't fight for more than fifteen minutes… And that limit passed ages ago… With no sweat glands, Shishio's internal temperature must be sky rocketing. It's igniting his blood, fats, and oils… No… No, this can't be…"

As the light of dawn pierced through the dark storm clouds, Shishio's entire body burst into black flames. With its blazing heat, Sakura cried out in fright.

Gazing at Shishio burning, Kero said solemnly, "The devil that emerged from the flames of the Bakumatsu returns now to those flames once more…"

Kenshin only watched in silence as Shishio began to laugh. The flames consumed his entire body while Shishio laughed. Why he died laughing, what he was laughing at… was lost to everyone. The fire died down, leaving nothing but a pile of ash. Everyone gasped as something glowed from within the ashes. A small object floated into the air, then flew towards Sakura.

"My key pendant…?"

In a flash of light, Sakura's kimono transformed into the Cardcaptor outfit. The key pendant became her Star Wand. The 52 Clow Cards appeared in their true forms in a circle around Kenshin, Kero, and Sakura. The sight was awe inspiring. At an unseen signal, all of the Clow Cards bowed or dipped towards Sakura. Mirror took a step forward.

" _You_ , Kinomoto Sakura of the Stars, with your righteous heart, are the only Cardcaptor we call our master."

Light nodded, "There is a certain level of magic that a person must have in order to be able to control us cards. For a moment, your magic dipped below that level. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the man named Shishio Makoto used the last of his magical strength to claim all of the cards."

"However," Dark explained, picking up where Light left off, "because Shishio Makoto depleted all of his magic in trying to subdue us, his body could not handle the additional magic power that comes with being a Cardcaptor. And Clow Reed-sama had one last secret he took to the grave."

"Secret…?" Sakura asked. Kero only nodded and grinned.

"It's that the Cardcaptor must be pure of heart!" Mirror chirped. "If the Cardcaptor is a righteous person, they will use us cards as Clow Reed-sama intended: to keep the world in a magical balance."

"And Shishio…" Kenshin started.

Dark answered, "We judged Shishio Makoto's intentions to be unjust. Therefore, all of the cards rejected him. Shishio Makoto could not handle the level of magic that a Cardcaptor requires, and consequently he was destroyed."

"That's right," Kero interjected. He crossed his arms. "Shishio died because he could not handle the overwhelming power that comes with becoming the Cardcaptor. Also, there is no power to draw from the cold, emptiness of space. Space is expansive, but nothing could ever live there. Space is dark matter, or anti-matter. It is literally nothing. The nothingness of space and the emptiness of his ideals… it consumed him."

Sakura murmured, "I see…

"It is true that Shishio Makoto was a fearsome magician. However…" Light winked at Sakura. "…you have been a Cardcaptor since a very young age. What does that say about your strength?"

Blushing, Sakura rubbed the back of her head. She laughed sheepishly, "Uh, heh, well, I couldn't have defeated Shishio-san without my friends and family helping me."

Light acceded, "That may be true. Their encouragement renewed your strength and gave your heart courage. Every person has their own doubts and worries, but when people work together, when they truly believe in each other…"

A hand touched Sakura's shoulder. Sakura looked up to see Kenshin smiling a knowing smile at her. Sakura beamed back up at him.

Light continued, "…then people can overcome any obstacle. But, in the end," Light stared directly into Sakura's eyes. "It was _your_ strength that surpassed Shishio. You are the Cardcaptor whose power keeps us cards in line, who aspires to balance the world's magic supply, and whose heart is more pure than any other. For that reason…"

In a burst of light, all of the cards turned into Sakura Cards. But as they disappeared, Light's voice echoed throughout the arena.

" _You_ , Kinomoto Sakura of the Stars, with your righteous heart, are the only Cardcaptor we call our master."

A silence followed the disappearance of the cards. Kenshin closed his eyes and exhaled, "The flow of time connecting the past, the present, and the future… has not allowed Shishio to continue. Time has chosen which man will survive."

"No! This can't be! Shishio-sama is the winner!"

Kenshin's, Sakura's, and Kero's heads snapped up to see a raving Hōji. "Shishio-sama is incapable of losing!" He ran past the trio, crying, "If you all die, then there is no victor! If you all die, Shishio-sama remains invincible!"

On his way to the doors to the arena, Hōji knocked into Kenshin. It was too much for Kenshin to bear and he collapsed. His vision grew hazy and it was extremely hard to hear.

"…shin…chan! Nii… right? …get up... leave!"

"…idiot… blowing place… have ta… get out!"

That was the last Kenshin heard before he descended into nothingness.

* * *

"Ugh…" The muffled sounds of worried voices and the smell of smoke roused Kenshin from his sleep. "Where am…"

"Kenshin! You're awake!"

Kenshin opened his eyes to see a sight he never thought he see again. "K-Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin breathed.

Kaoru smiled down at him, tears in her eyes. "Thank goodness…"

"Is this Kyoto? Then that means…"

Kenshin glanced to the side to see Kero framed by the remains of half burned houses in the background. Kero looked around frantically. "Where's Sakura? Where is she?"

"Sorry, Kero but…" Yahiko's voice said. "But you and Kenshin appeared out of nowhere just now. We haven't seen Sakura or anyone else."

An ice cold fear seized Kenshin's heart. He tried to sit up, ignoring Kaoru's cries for rest. "Does that mean-Urgh!" Kenshin started, then gasped as a pain lanced through his side.

Before Kenshin's eyes, Kero transformed into a giant yellow beast. It looked like a lion, but two wings sported out of his back. Lifting his head to the sky, Kero roared,

"SAKURA!"

* * *

Fighting against the pull of unconsciousness, Sakura was left panting heavily. Her cheek, pressed up against the ground, was strangely cold. In her hand, Sakura clasped the Move Sakura Card. It disappeared after its use. _So much for Shishio-san saying the Move card was worthless._ Sakura closed her eyes. _Nii-chan… Kero-chan…_

"Ahaha… haha…"

Someone grabbed the collar of her Cardcaptor dress and lifted her into the air. Too weak to resist, Sakura didn't lift a finger to stop them. _I'm sorry…_

"I should just kill you… No, that's right. I got something much better in store…"

 _But this is the end of the line for me._

"Ahaha… Ahahahahahahaha!"

 _I'm sorry, Syaoran-kun. But it looks like I can't do our promise. Everyone, forgive me…_

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Dakara… gambatte-So… keep fighting, keep at it, etc.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Mirror-One of the Clow Cards. Mirror can reflect things like a real mirror, and it can create exact mirror replicas of people. Sakura has used mirror to reflect dangers away and to create a version of herself to distract her family while she captures other cards. Mirror can also talk.

* * *

Thought beating Shishio was the end? Nope! Get ready for the real climax!

So, yes, I know I said about a chapter and a half of the fight was left, but this is the end of Shishio (although it was the length of a chapter an a half!) What's coming next, heh heh heh… well, you'll just have to find out! The reason I first estimated a chapter and a half would be left was because I originally was going to have meanwhiles to Kaoru, Yahiko, Syaoran, etc. when they leant their power to Sakura. However, with the fight turning out to be so long, I decided to cut it. That's also the reason why I didn't have Kenshin and Sakura fight Shishio and his 33 Clow Cards. While it would have been fun to write Shishio using all those other cards, it would nearly impossible for Kenshin and Sakura to retaliate. And, as I said, the fight is so long anyway. It is my friend's idea that Shishio would become the Cardcaptor when Sakura used too much of her magic, only to burst into flames and die because he couldn't handle it. I came up with everything else in this chapter, including that Shishio would be the Cardcaptor of dark void of "Outer Space". With this chapter concluded, I hope you enjoyed the fight against Shishio! Feel free to tell me your thoughts-what I did good and what could have been improved on. Thanks!

Hello, Halley Vanaria! I'm glad you are enjoying the fight. I relooked it up and there are 52 cards in the anime besides the Nameless Card, the Nothing, and the Hope. If I remember the movie correctly, Clow Reed created the Nothing as a sort of "negative" to all the other "positive" Clow Cards. The Nameless Card/the Hope is the 53rd card. I hope this clears up any confusion you may have! Thanks for the review.

Hello, Kura! *Waves finger* Nuh, nuh, nuh! I'm sorry, but we're at a point where I don't want to be giving too many clues about what is going to happen next. :) As you pointed out, I am becoming increasingly vague in the "Next Chapter" section. Everyone's plan is revealed in this chapter. Thanks, I'm glad you like the Light and Dark cards. I just figured that Dark being in Kenshin's heart was a logical choice, him being Battōsai and all. Thanks for the review.

Hello, Tom Reidem, it's nice to meet you. Thank you for supporting my fanfic! (Chapter 1) I'm very happy that you are reading this, but please, you do not have to feel the need to review every chapter. I always appreciate reviews and feedback, but I'm just happy that people are reading and enjoying my story. But FYI no matter what the chapter you review, I will reply to you on the latest chapter since that is the most convenient for me. (Chapter 2) Yeah, it is pretty much the same as RK beginning. I was thinking that I might go back after I finish this fic and change or condense the first chapter since it is so similar. (Chapter 3) An Ishida? I assume you are referring to a character of an anime or video game, but I don't recognize the name. Sorry! XD (Chapter 4) I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter and you found it amusing. With each chapter the more differences between the original RK plot arise and the more important magic becomes. Thank you for your reviews! If you have a question, I'll be more than happy to answer you.

Next Chapter: Well, I won't hint towards anything specific, but let's just say there are two things: One, I left something out of the original RK plot that will appear in the future and two there is something that I have foreshadowed numerous times but it never happened. What is it? You'll just have to wait and see…

Thank you, everyone for reading this up until this point! I hope that you continue reading as we approach the _real_ climax…


	30. Running Out of Time!

With Shishio defeated, we move into Part Three! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: No matter how hard I work on this, I won't own the characters...

* * *

PART THREE

THE FATE OF RUROUNI CARDCAPTOR

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Running Out of Time!

Gripping the white sheets, Kenshin looked out the window, worry etched into his face. _We don't have time for this…! I have to… I should be out there, searching for her instead of being cooped up like this!_

Everything following Kenshin and Kero's teleportation from the battle arena to Kyoto was a giant blur. Shortly after Kero shouted for Sakura, Kenshin blacked out again. Kaoru and Yahiko brought Kenshin to the Aoi-Ya, where Misao treated Kenshin with her healing magic. Several hours had passed while Kenshin was unconscious. When Kenshin awoke, he immediately asked about everyone's well-being. According to Kaoru, Kero took off to the skies after shouting Sakura's name. He hadn't been seen since. Neither had Syaoran been seen. Everyone had been searching for Kero and Syaoran, but…

Thinking about Syaoran, Kenshin closed his eyes. _Shishio is dead, but Syaoran was still kidnapped and taken somewhere. Is he all right?_ Gritting his teeth, Kenshin gripped his blanket so hard his knuckles turned white. _I promised I would rescue him!_

Elated shouts from downstairs reached Kenshin's ears. Gasping, Kenshin thought, _Could it be?_ Throwing the blanket aside, Kenshin hurried down the hall and the stairs. Kaoru, Misao, Aoshi, and Okina had gathered by the entrance of the inn. They had gathered around an individual…

"I can't believe it! You're safe!" Kaoru cried, tears of joy pricking her eyes.

Misao scolded, "We've been searching all over for you! Where were you?"

"I know you were worried about me, and I'm sorry. But there are more important things right now." The person entering the Aoi-Ya locked eyes with Kenshin on the stairwell. "Isn't that right… kidnapper?"

Syaoran looked awful. His clothes were tore up and dirty while small cuts and scrapes marred his elbows and shins. By the way he carried himself, it was clear that he was exhausted. The dark circles under his eyes confirmed it. _But still…_ Kenshin smiled, gladness warming his heart. _…he is alive and well. I could not ask for more._

Syaoran stepped inside the inn, making room for Kero, the strange lion beast. In a blink of an eye, Kero reverted back to the old familiar mouse looking form he had always been. Before Kenshin could even ask how Kero did that, Syaoran and Kero pushed their way up the stairs. Without looking back, Syaoran said, "Come on, kidnapper."

Kaoru shot Kenshin a worried and confused look. Kenshin dipped his head at Kaoru, telling her without words not to fear, and hurried up the stairs after Syaoran.

Kenshin found the young magician and the sun guardian waiting for him in his room. Closing the shoji door behind him, Kenshin asked, "Where have the two of you been? We've all been so worried about you."

"And what about you?" Syaoran asked, eyeing the many bandages Kenshin had. "Shouldn't Misao-san have healed you with her ninjutsu magic?"

Kenshin shook his head. "That doesn't matter. Li-kun, are you all right?

"I'm fine," Syaoran answered. "I defeated that Iwanbō guy who kidnapped me, so I'm okay." Syaoran crossed his arms and looked away from Kenshin. As his eyes became distant, it seemed to Kenshin that they were filled with an unbearable amount of sadness and regret. He mindlessly repeated, "…I'm okay…"

"All right, then…" Kenshin said in a measured even tone. "What do you what to tell this one?" Syaoran and Kero glanced at each other before looking guiltily at the ground. When the silence continued, Kenshin whispered, "Please tell this one. This one won't get angry, he promises, that he does."

Kero heaved a sigh. "It seems I've made another mistake."

"No," Syaoran said quietly. "We all did."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "A mistake?"

"More of a wrong assumption," clarified Kero. "There are 52 Clow Cards in total. And there are 19… special Clow Cards, let's call them. In the present, or yer future, we sealed and transformed 52 cards inta Sakura Cards. But when Sakura and I traveled ta the Meiji era, the only Clow Cards we encountered were da 19 special Clow Cards."

"You mean the Clow Cards Sakura had been capturing all along, the Wood, the Watery, the Shadow…" Kenshin said.

Kero nodded. "Correct. When we only kept sealing those 19 special cards, the four of us mistakenly assumed that only those special 19 Clow Cards had been transported ta the past."

Kenshin crossed his arms, his one hand holding his chin. "But in reality…"

"In reality," Syaoran cut in, "all 52 Clow Cards must have come to the past with Sakura and Kero. Shishio must have been sending his henchman across Japan to capture the other 33 cards while Sakura and I captured the special 19 cards."

"I'm sorry, red head, that we didn't tell yas earlier. Because of my mistake, we didn't tell yas about the other remaining Clow Cards before we fought Shishio. By that time, the assumption was so deeply embedded in our minds that in all the confusion it didn't even cross our minds ta tell yas about the Clow Cards."

"And that weird lion thing?"

Indignant, Kero cried, "That's my super cool, jaw dropping, true form! It can really kick butt! Since we beat Shishio, Sakura sealed and transformed all of the Clow Cards inta Sakura Cards, including Shishio's Fiery. With the Fiery and Earthy cards under her command, I can become my true form."

Taking a moment to digest the information, Kenshin closed his eyes. "This one… sees…" Opening his eyes, Kenshin uncrossed his arms. "This one understands everything but one thing: Kero, where have you been all this time?"

"What do ya think I've been doing? I've been searching fer Sakura by sensing fer her magical presence. Not finding it in Kyoto, I widened my search perimeter, and," Kero gestured to Syaoran, "found the kid in Osaka and picked him up. After flying over Osaka a couple of times, I returned here."

"Osaka…" Kenshin murmured, slightly disturbed that Syaoran had been spirited out of Kyoto so easily. Also, a horrible realization was beginning to take shape in his mind.

His voice soft, Syaoran whispered, "I traveled across time… I found who had gone missing… I overcame the magical seal Aoshi put on me…" Syaoran took a step forward, and raised his fist. A bright fire burned in his eyes. "I won't run away anymore. I'll become strong enough, strong enough to protect her! I… I _must_!"

Kenshin could feel the determination pour off Syaoran in waves. But just beyond that, Kenshin could see the fervent desperation within him. If he didn't believe that he could grow strong enough to protect Sakura it would break him. If he didn't gain that strength or if the one he wanted to protect was gone… it would destroy him. _Oh, Li-kun…_ Closing his eyes, Kenshin exhaled, a huge weight settling on his shoulders. _He looks just like I did as a rurouni, so desperate to repent… What have I encouraged? I'm sorry, Li-kun, but the 'happily ever after' fairytale endings have a way of not coming true in reality…_

"That's why… That's why…" Syaoran raised both fists, eager. "I'm leaving!"

"I'm going, too." Kero added, "You're going to need me."

"So…" Syaoran asked. "Are you coming?"

It was the one the quickest decisions Kenshin ever made. "Of course. And I know where we need to go."

For a moment, Syaoran's mask fell away to reveal a genuine smile. Kenshin was warmed by the sight. Then the smile was gone, replaced by a sense of purpose. "Then let's go. We have a lot we need to do." Flying out the room, Syaoran darted down the hall. His voice cried out to Kenshin. "So hurry up. We don't have any time to waste!" Kero nodded at Kenshin and then, he too, left after Syaoran.

"…Kenshin?" A tentative voice asked.

Kenshin turned around to see Kaoru. She approached him with hesitant steps. "I heard Syaoran shouting and…"

" _Sō ka_." Kenshin replied. A faint shout from outside caught his attention. Recognizing it as his cue, Kenshin pivoted on his heel and walked across the room. With a yank, Kenshin opened his bedroom window. Thankfully the storm that had raged over Kyoto had settled down, but heavy dark clouds still hung over the city.

Kenshin turned around to face Kaoru, who was in the doorway. "This one is sorry, but he cannot sit around and do nothing while others are risking their life. He must do this."

Kaoru's gaze was downcast for a moment, her hands clutched to her chest. Then she confidently raised her head and strode towards Kenshin. Staring into Kenshin's eyes, Kaoru said with conviction, "I won't make the same mistake twice."

Kenshin knew exactly what Kaoru was referring to: she would chase after Kenshin instead of being left behind while Kenshin went to Kyoto. Realizing this, Kenshin couldn't hold back a smile. "Then this one won't as well." Kenshin placed his foot on the windowsill. "Pass on his regards to the others, please."

Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise. Then she smiled. "I will. But… please be safe."

Kenshin faintly smiled. Upon seeing Kaoru's smile, the memory of her saying that the dojo was his home appeared in his mind. And the memory of two of them kissing… There were so many things Kenshin wanted to say to her, but… knowing what he knew, it was better if he left them unsaid. He wordlessly brushed his fingers across her cheek. Then he ducked under the window and jumped into the beyond.

 _Be safe? I'm sorry, Kaoru-dono, but that's a promise I know I can't keep._

* * *

Kaoru stood by the window after Kenshin had left, waiting. His departure was quite unexpected and Kaoru was startled. But now she rested her two hands her two hands on the windowsill, reflecting on their encounter. _He didn't tell me goodbye. But that's all right._ Kaoru closed her eyes and touched a hand to the cheek Kenshin had touched. However, now was not the time to stand idle. There was so much to be done.

Pivoting on her heel, Kaoru sped down the hall, heading for her room. Just as she reached it, loud clamors arose from downstairs.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"For the sake of the safety of all citizens, move aside. This is official-"

"I'm not moving an inch! You're not getting in here!"

By the time the first shout had resounded, Kaoru had threw herself down the stairs. Ready for anything, Kaoru asked, "What's going on?"

Yahiko and Misao stood in the doorway of the entrance of the Aoi-Ya, blocking a group of police officers from entering. Yahiko turned his head to Kaoru and shouted, "Kaoru, they want Kenshin!"

A sense of foreboding overcame Kaoru. _This can't be good…_

"Please, there is no need for alarm," One of the officers reassured. "We are officers under Fujita Gorō. We were authorized to locate and bring Himura Kenshin to the station."

Misao lowered her fists. "Fujita Gorō… you mean Saitō?"

Taking advantage of Misao's lowered guard, the officers pushed their way into the inn. Immediately they broke off in waves, heading in different rooms. "No!" Yahiko cried. "Don't-"

Following the officer who had spoke up the stairs, Kaoru asked, "Are you saying Saitō authorized you?" The officer remained silent. He only continued down the hall towards Kenshin's room. "Well? Answer me!"

"No, Kaoru!" Yahiko shouted from downstairs. "I went out in the city earlier and I heard people talking about arresting Battōsai!"

 _Over my dead body!_ Kaoru lunged after the police officer, but he opened Kenshin's bedroom shoji doors. He stepped inside the room and evaded Kaoru's grasp. Blocking the doorway with her body, Kaoru demanded, "Arrest Battōsai! That's ridiculous! He's the one who helped pave the way for this new era. How can you betray and arrest him after defeating Shishio-something _you_ asked him to do!"

While scanning the room, the officer replied, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I only know what I was told-Aha!"

At the same time, Kaoru and the officer noticed a note lying on Kenshin's futon. Kaoru must have been too focused on Kenshin to notice that he left a note behind. _"Pass on his regards to the others, please." Is that what he meant?_

The officer moved to pick the sheet of paper up, but Kaoru snatched it first. "Oh no you don't!" She tore the paper into shreds, put the pieces in her mouth, and swallowed it.

The officer stared at Kaoru with a mixture of disbelief and respect. "T-That was a note from Battōsai! I saw the signature…"

Kaoru shrugged. "Arrest me then. I hindered your investigation. But let me tell you this: you will get no information about Kenshin from me. So…" Kaoru crossed her arms. "…what's it going to be?"

The police man scowled at her. Then his fingers brushed the gun in his holster by his side.

* * *

The world silently passed beneath their feet as they flew above their earth. It was both a beautiful sight… and a sickening one. But Kenshin tried not to dwell on the fact that they were flying hundreds of feet above the ground. He wrapped him arms around Syaoran's waist in front of Kenshin a little tighter.

Over the sound of his flapping wings and the wind, Kero explained, "Since we couldn't find Sakura in Kyoto or Osaka, then she must be in Tokyo. It wouldn't make sense for Sakura to stay at Mt. Hiei in the battle arena."

 _Right. She could be waiting for us at the dojo in Tokyo. Plus, if I read all the facts right, what Shishio was planning to do at dawn involves Tokyo…_

Syaoran took out a Sakura Card. His eyes and voice forlorn, Syaoran muttered, "Sakura… Tokyo…" Syaoran stared at the card, but as far as Kenshin could tell, there was no response. Syaoran's dejected sigh confirmed it. "It's still not working… I don't know why. It always worked before…" Swinging to anger, Syaoran cried, "Dang it! I was supposed to give this back to her!"

"What is it, Li-kun?" Kenshin asked. "This one has never seen that card before."

"It's the Nameless Card," Syaoran replied, "a card that Sakura made. I used to reunite with Sakura after I traveled to the Meiji era and it never failed me. It even directed me to people who would know who Sakura's companions were. But now… it's gone cold."

"So that was it…" Kero murmured to himself. "That's how you came to the past. …Then maybe they really are destined for each other…" After closing his eyes briefly, Kero raised his voice so Kenshin and Syaoran could hear. "That card must sense Sakura's presence from long distances. If it doesn't sense Sakura's presence then I can only think of two possibilities. Sakura is still very weak from her battle with Shishio and she has too little magic for the card to pick up on. Or that Sakura isn't giving off any magical presence at all. Because she's… Because she's…"

A heavy silence descended on the trio. Then Kero emphatically shook his head. He happily crowed, "But Sakura is strong! She's the strongest magician that I've ever seen! And that means a lot; I've lived for centuries. I'm sure she's all righ-"

Gripping Kero's fur in his hands, Syaoran said in a pained voice, "Yet again, Sakura went through something painful and I wasn't there… and I couldn't do anything to stop it… And now she may be… she may be…" His voice shaking slightly, Syaoran whispered, "Why… Why does this keep happening?!"

Saddened, Kenshin looked away. _Could she? Could Sakura-chan really be dead? It would be just like the gods to kill yet another person close to me…_

 _After all_ , a malevolent presence murmured in his mind. _The only family a monster like you could have is a dead one._

While Kenshin was having his internal monologue, he almost missed what Syaoran was saying. "Look, I know. I know that you care a lot about Sakura and that you did everything you could to save her. But… you should have realized… You should have realized that Sakura would only use the Move Clow Card on you and Kero, and not her. After all," Syaoran said with bitter sarcasm, "she's learned the 'importance' of self-sacrifice from the very best."

Yet again, Syaoran's words were like a knife stabbing Kenshin's heart. Nothing could hurt more than the truth. All Kenshin could say was, " _G-Gomenasai_ …"

Turning his head to the side, Syaoran sighed. "It's too late to change things now. And it's not like I was there anyways. What matters is the future, not the past."

Hearing Kenshin's words in Syaoran's mouth, Kenshin couldn't help but smile, if only a little bit. _He really has changed, hasn't he? …Changed at the cost of such heartbreak._

"So then…" In a low voice, Syaoran asked, "Kidnapper, would you do anything to bring Sakura back?"

"Anything," Kenshin said with absolute certainty. "Anything short of killing someone."

"Even if it means you'll die?"

Kenshin was dumbfounded by the loaded question. Before speaking up, Kenshin reflected on his answer. _Sakura-chan means so much to me, but I can't die. But if that was the only way then what would I do? I would…_ Kenshin was forced to answer honestly, "This one… This one doesn't know."

"Stupid kidnapper," Syaoran hissed. "Stupid kidnapper! You're supposed to stop being selfish when I call you that, remember? Sakura wouldn't want that. Sakura wouldn't… I mean, Sakura doesn't…" Sniffing, Syaoran pulled down his green hat over his eyes. He fiercely whispered, "I hate you, kidnapper."

And with that, Kenshin finally understood. Syaoran doesn't hate Kenshin. He never did. Syaoran just hated the situation in general. And who wouldn't hate the circumstances in Syaoran's position? Missing his soul mate for months on end, traveling back in the past, fighting a man that did him no personal wrong… Exhaling, Kenshin drew Syaoran closer to his chest. Syaoran didn't resist.

Lowering his chin on Syaoran's head, Kenshin thought, _I'm sorry, Li-kun. But just as with Kaoru-dono, I don't know what sacrifices I may be forced to make in the future. Misao-dono couldn't fully heal my wounds for a reason. The malevolent presence Shishio infected me with when he bit me… His magic, and his hatred for the world, still lives on within me. It's just as Kero said, my acceptance of violence is too similar to Shishio's and its causing the Shishio's evil presence within me to thrive. If I don't overcome it soon, my wounds will only worsen and…_ Kenshin briefly touched a bandaged side.

 _…_ _I'll die._

* * *

Kenshin smiled down at her from his post by the kitchen counter. "Dinner is almost ready, that it is. So just wait a little longer, all right?"

Yahiko, who sat at the table beside her, gave a huge sigh. "I suppose I can't wait a bit more, considering it's your food and not that ugly _busu_ 's concoctions."

"Hey!" An angry voice cried from down the hall. "I heard that, Yahiko!"

Unimpressed, Yahiko rolled his eyes. "And what are you going to do about it?" he muttered under his breath.

Kaoru stepped into the kitchen, a hand on her hip. "Well, for starters, you can change all of his diapers for the rest of the day."

Yahiko backpedaled. "Uh uh. No way. I'll shut up now."

Glaring at her student, Kaoru said, "It wasn't an option."

Syaoran snorted from his spot at the table. "That's what you get, stupid."

"Shut up!" Yahiko cried. Kenshin chuckled quietly to himself as he finished cutting the last of the vegetables.

 _W-What's going on? Where am… Diapers?_

In Kaoru's arms was a young boy, maybe about a year old. He had ginormous blue eyes. His chubby cheeks were so adorable that would make anyone want to pinch them. But most striking of all was his red hair…

The boy began to fuss and kick until Kaoru relented with an, "All right, all right…" and placed him down on the floor. From there he sped on wobbly legs right towards her.

 _Wait a second. Who ARE you?_

"Whoa there, buddy," Yahiko said. "Food ain't here yet. There's no need to be so excited."

Kenshin glanced behind him at the boy. "Easy there. Don't fall and hit the corner of the table now."

The boy just giggled and reached out his arms to her.

 _U-Um… what am I supposed to do? Does he want me to pick him up?_

Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Syaoran watching her. He was holding his head up with one hand, his elbow on the table. A smile was on his face as he prodded, "Come on, don't be shy. You've done it a million times."

 _D-Done what?_ She returned her focus to the young toddler in front of her. Too impatient, he had already climbed into her arms. He stared at her with eyes that were so still, so serious… They couldn't possibly be the eyes of a baby.

A gut instinct screamed at her, _He wants to tell me something. Something important. But what…?_

The boy stared unflinchingly into her eyes. "Daughter!" he chirruped. He giggled and clapped his hands, elated for no apparent reason.

 _D-Daughter?! What in the world? That's not possible-you're a baby!_

Startled, she glanced up to see everyone smiling at her.

 _...What does he mean?_

But before she could open her mouth to ask anything, everything became blurred and faded into black.

* * *

"Ah, so you're finally awake. That's good."

"Ow… My head…" Sakura sat up, pressing a hand to her temple. Goodness, her head pounded like a drum in a marching band. When her head cleared up enough for Sakura to see, she gasped at who she saw. "S-Sōjirō-san?"

Sōjirō flashed Sakura once of his cheery trademark smiles and waved a hand at her. He was standing up resting against a strange door of some sort.

Sōjirō said, "It has been about 12 hours since you last were conscious. I wondered if you were going to be unconscious for a lot longer."

"So…" Sakura asked as she rubbed her temple, "…you were worried about me?"

Sōjirō gave Sakura a decidedly neutral face. Sakura got the impression Sōjirō was annoyed. However, he didn't answer.

Sakura eyes swept over the area. It was too dark for Sakura to really tell much details about her surroundings, but she thought she saw a unlit traditional Japanese lantern hanging from the ceiling. The floor, for whatever reason, was unnaturally cold. There didn't appear to be any other exits besides the door Sōjirō guarded. Aside from that, all she could make out was a few beams holding up the ceiling. Sakura opened her mouth to ask a question, but suddenly a wave of sickness overcame her. Holding her stomach, Sakura moaned. "Uuugh…"

"Need a bucket?" Sōjirō nudged a bucket with his foot towards Sakura.

Sakura smiled at him. _He's being nice again!_

As if he could read Sakura's thoughts, Sōjirō frowned, "It was just a question." Oh yes, he was definitely annoyed.

"I'll be fine… I think…" muttered Sakura. "Where am I?" Sōjirō didn't answer, only plastered an empty smile on his face. "So… what are you doing?"

"I'm standing guard."

"I see…" Sakura murmured, thinking. "But… why? We defeated Shishio."

Sōjirō looked away, a slightly wistful expression on his face. He was silent for so long that Sakura thought he would never answer. Eventually he whispered, "I wasn't much younger than you when Shishio-sama took me under his wing. He took me in and protected me with his truth: the strong live and the weak die. And it seems that Himura-san has adopted you and passed on his truth: to believe and protect the weak."

"And…" Sakura said softly, "you don't know which truth is right."

Sōjirō's gaze lowered to the ground. "All I know is that I followed Shishio-sama's truth without question. Now there seems to be a second option. Or, at least, different possibilities. My suggestion to you," Sōjirō stared into Sakura's eyes. "…is that you do not follow anyone blindly. You should find out the truth of the world on your own." Then his eyes seemed to turn inward as he muttered, "Yes… one should find the truth on their own…"

Sakura crossed her arms, the gears in her mind working overtime. "Shouldn't the truth be what makes you the happiest?"

Sōjirō laughed, but there was no humor in it. "I'm very sorry, Cardcaptor-san. But if you probe that idea a little deeper, you'll see its flaws. It could be said that Shishio-sama, for instance, was happy killing other people because it brought him closer to ruling Japan. But Himura-san and you do not approve of killing." He seemed genuinely curious as he asked, "How then does your truth hold up?"

Sakura waved a hand. " _Gomen_ , _gomen_. I confused you. What makes a person happiest is helping others. In helping others, the world becomes a better place. And you become a better person. Therefore people who do evil aren't really happy. They just think they are."

"Ah, yes." Sōjirō crossed his arms. "Forgive me, it seems I have underestimated your theory. Of course you would believe something like that. But tell me, Cardcaptor-san, is that real truth? If that is the case, then why are there so many people who do evil?"

He continued, "If you are correct in your theory that people are happiest when helping others, then it should apply to all people, including those who you may call evil like Shishio-sama."

Sōjirō frowned. It appeared to Sakura, that while he was addressing his questions to Sakura, he was attempting to figure out the answers as well. "Do you believe that people like Shishio-sama, if they did a single 'good' deed for someone else everyday would they one day become good? Could they ever do enough good deeds that they repent for their sins? Even if they theoretically could become good, how can they truly be happy if they are now aware of all the evil they committed in the past? Or is there a point where a person is so corrupted that they will need do another 'good' deed again and are completely irredeemable?"

Sakura was completely blown away. They were questions that had been overlooking her and Kenshin on their entire journey. But even though they had conquered the unconquerable, Shishio, such key questions about life remained unanswered. How could a twelve-year-old girl answer them? "I… I don't know…"

"Well then, I suppose that's something we both need to figure out for ourselves."

Sōjirō pushed off the wall. He walked towards Sakura as he said, "We all have our different possibilities of what could be the truth of life. But if those theories are the truth of life, then they must pass the ultimate test…" Sōjirō stopped in front of Sakura and looked down on her. "…time itself."

"Time…" Sakura whispered.

Sōjirō closed his eyes, and dipped his head, as though he was thinking deeply about something. Then his lips turned upwards into a slight smile. He moved one foot towards the door behind him, so that he was facing slightly away from Sakura. "I shall take a step back from all of this and begin a search. A search for the answer to those questions and I shall arrive at the truth of life by and for myself." Sōjirō turned around and headed towards the door. "You may not go on a journey, but for your sake…" Sōjirō opened the door to reveal a person that caused Sakura's heart to stop beating.

The man swept into dark room, an immense sense of single-mindedness straightening his spine. But in his eyes… the maniacal look in his eyes was reminiscence of Shishio, but while Shishio was insane, he had a method to his madness. This man was a feverous zealot, out to prove something to the world. And he would be willing to do anything to prove it.

He strode over to over to Sakura and lifted her up into the air by her neck. Gasping, Sakura struggled, but she couldn't remove the man's hands from her neck. Crying, Sakura called out to Sōjirō. "Please! You can find out the truth right here! Right now! Do this good deed and help me!"

Sōjirō was one step out the room, his hand on the door about to close it behind him. At the sound of Sakura's voice he stopped and looked over his shoulder at her.

"You've been doing good deeds for me all along so…" Sakura threw out her hand towards Sōjirō, shouting, "…I believe in you! You can be happy if you want, just do this good deed and don't leave me here."

Sōjirō stared at Sakura with a decidedly neutral expression. But this time, Sakura couldn't read him at all. The young swordsman closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"…I hope you find the truth soon."

Sōjirō closed the door, vanishing from sight. And with Sōjirō's departure, so too, had hope abandoned her.

Sakura's gaze fearfully fixated on the man who held her in his grip. Her voice trembled as she said, "Don't leave me here with… Hōji-san…"

"Hey!" Hōji barked, spittle flying on Sakura's face. With his other hand he violently grabbed Sakura's chin and jerked it to the side.

"Erk!"

"Look at me when I'm talking to you! I have grand plans I have to fulfill and you're a part of them!"

"Grand plans…?" Sakura asked. "Aah!" Hōji suddenly let go of Sakura and she fell to the ground.

"No, _I_ don't have any plans," Hōji corrected himself, an impossibly wide smile twisting his lips. " _Shishio_ -sama is the one who has had the marvelous vision. And it is I, who must fulfill them! Yes, I must remake the world in his image! His glorious image!"

"W-What are you talking about?"

"By bringing the world to its knees!" Hōji crowed. "And of course…" Hōji kicked Sakura in the side. A piercing pain shot through Sakura. All the wind was knocked out of her and she pitched forward.

As Sakura hunched forward, clasping her side, she thought, _This is just like when I was stuck in the cabin… when they called me names and beat me up and left me all alone…_

Hōji smiled, "… _you're_ a big part of it! How lucky for you!"

"W-Wha…?" Sakura stared at Hōji in horror. _No, check that… this is so much worse._

Hōji didn't explain; he only walked some distance away from Sakura, muttering things to himself. Looking around the area one more time, Sakura asked, "Where are we?"

"Why don't you find out for yourself," Hōji stand, emphatically gesturing to his left.

 _Is he… pointing to the wall?_ It was too dark for Sakura to really see if there was anything interesting adorning the wall. However, Sakura stood up and walked over. Upon getting closer, Sakura saw a circular window. After glancing at Hōji, Sakura stepped on her tip toes and peered out the window to see…

Blue. Unending blue. Blue that stretched out in every direction. _The… the ocean? B-B-But how?!_ Sakura looked down to see metal sheets and a railing that separated whatever Sakura was on from the sea. There were ropes everywhere and a few men dressed in white walking around…

 _No… this can't be…_

Seeing Sakura's ghastly expression, Hōji cackled. Sakura turned back to Hōji, terrified. She tried to form words, but she couldn't.

Hōji raised his arms to the side. As though he believed he was god's messenger, he proclaimed, "This is the ironclad, Rengoku! The metal ship equipped with the latest battle armaments! Cannons that will blow Tokyo and Japan's military to smithereens!"

Sakura could say nothing. She could think nothing. There simply wasn't comprehending what he was saying. Because Sakura was pretty sure that Shishio was dead and that the nightmare had ended with him. It wasn't still continuing. It wasn't.

"Oh can you think of the panic? The riots that would ensue? That is Shishio's vision. But first! First!" Hōji spun on his heel towards away from Sakura and began pacing. "Before any of that, we must destroy the one who defeated him. I have asked the police for Battōsai's head if they want to call off Rengoku's attack. Of course, I'll bomb them anyway, but I must ensure Battōsai's death first."

"Ken-nii… dying…" Sakura muttered, bloody visions flooding her mind. _It's just like… my dream predicted… The dream I had before I left with nii-chan for Kyoto… The dream where everyone I love died… Is it coming true?_ "No… No…"

"And then you, you filthy rat," Hōji snarled. He threw his head back, his arms thrown out to the side. "You'll play the biggest part of all! Ahaha! Ahahahahaha!"

* * *

No matter what Syaoran did, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. Were they making a mistake? Were they overlooking something important? _Or maybe…_ Syaoran thought as he turned around to face the direction of Mt. Hiei. _…did something bad happen to Sakura?_ The knot in his stomach only pulled itself tighter at the thought. _No, I can't think like that. I just have to focus at the task at hand. She must be close now! She has to be!_

When Kero, Syaoran, and Kenshin landed in Tokyo, the first thing they did was search the dojo. Syaoran ran throughout the house, opening all the doors and calling Sakura's name, but there was no sign of her. They were forced to conclude that Sakura wasn't there, nor had been there. But where could Sakura be? Syaoran had wondered. There was no other place she would go…

Then, when Syaoran thought they had exhausted all options, Kenshin named another possibility.

"It's possible that Sakura-chan has been captured by the government and is being held captive."

"What?" Syaoran burst out.

"Do you remember what Saitō said? That the government wanted Sakura because they knew Shishio was looking for her?"

"Yeah, but…" Syaoran started.

"But it's the only possibility that's left," cut in Kero. "So let's go." Syaoran reluctantly agreed and the trio headed for the police headquarters in Tokyo. Kero hid in Syaoran's green hat for the time being.

When they arrived at the station, they were met with a very strange reaction. The policemen on guard in front of the building gave a start when they saw Kenshin.

"It's him! He's here!" One of the men stepped forward. "We should-"

The other officer held out his hand. "Don't. Everyone was told to bring him forth to the superintendent-general before action was taken and the higher-ups agreed." The first man relaxed, acquiescing to the other.

"Kawaji-dono…?" Kenshin murmured.

 _Who is Kawaji?_ After a second, Syaoran remembered him as the man who went to the dojo and asked Kenshin to leave for Kyoto.

The second, more composed policemen walked to stand directly in front of Kenshin. "Will you come with us to the superintendent-general's office to see him?"

Kenshin's face remained mostly impassive, but Syaoran could see the slight tightness of his jaw and the pinch around his eyes. _He's worried about something._ Syaoran wondered, _But what?_

However Kenshin's face quickly smoothed itself out. " _Hai_ , this one will go."

The man nodded at Kenshin and the two moved to Kenshin's either side. They started to walk away, leaving Syaoran behind.

"No, Li-kun comes-"

"Hey, I'm coming, too!" Syaoran insisted. The two men glanced at each other, the one shrugged, and they continued on their way. No one objected to Syaoran's presence.

It seemed like an eternity before they reached the Kawaji's office. But when they did they were greeted by Kawaji himself. He rose from the chair behind his desk when Kenshin and Syaoran entered the room. "Himura-san. It is good to see you."

Kenshin replied in an even tone, "It is good to see you as well, that it is."

"I only wish it was under better circumstances."

At Kawaji's words, everyone tensed. In the same measured tone, Kenshin asked, "What do you mean?"

Kawaji flashed Kenshin a bewildered look. "Don't tell me you haven't seen the boat moored outside Tokyo?"

"This one is afraid not."

 _Huh?_ Syaoran thought, confused. _What's going on?_

Kawaji fell back into his chair. "The boat outside Tokyo is no ordinary shipping vessel. I would know; I've seen it personally. It is an ironclad, owned by Shishio."

Kenshin's eyes widened. "What?" There was a gasp from underneath Syaoran's hat.

"Yes, and unless we met Hōji's demands, they will bomb Tokyo."

" _Yappari._ " Kenshin muttered under his breath. "It's just like the original plan in the Bakumatsu… We haven't really stopped Shishio and his plans after all…"

The uneasiness in Syaoran's stomach tripled. _It can't be…_ Although Syaoran was almost too scared to ask, he had to confirm if his prediction was correct. "And what are the demands?"

Exhaling, Kawaji slumped forward. He rested his elbows on the table and his hands held his forehead, covering his face. "Battōsai must be publicly executed in front of the ironclad, Rengoku, and Hōji must be a witness. After the deed is done, Shishio is to be declared the strongest of all by the all the head military and political figures."

Kenshin flinched. Then he lowered his head, his bangs hiding his face in shadows.

"What?!" Syaoran exploded. "You're going to listen to him? Are you crazy? Besides, they already defeated Shishio! He's gone! So why do you have to listen to whoever this Hōji guy is?"

Kawaji sighed. Then he straightened as though he had resigned himself to this fate. "It does not matter whether Shishio is alive or not. Rengoku can instill a mass panic and fear into the citizens of Tokyo and all of Japan. Japan's navy cannot defeat the metal ship. Meeting his demands is…" Kawaji's voice suddenly grew soft. "…is the only choice we have."

"No, that can't be!"

"I am deeply sorry, Himura-san, especially since I was the one to ask you to defeat Shishio. But you were a soldier of the Bakumatsu, you should understand that one soldier's death is but little for the sake of the entire country."

"A soldier…" Kenshin said in a voice that was no more than a breath. "…a tool. Is that the only way the government will ever see this one?"

"Listen to me!" Furious, Syaoran slammed his hands on Kawaji's desk. "You can't do this! You can't do this to him! He beat Shishio, he can beat this Hōji person and-"

"Do you know where Kinomoto Sakura is?" Kenshin's voice cut through Syaoran's shout like an axe.

Kawaji frowned, "Kinomoto Sakura?"

"She is the young girl who was with this one when you visited the dojo. Do you know where she is? Has anyone seen her?"

Kawaji's brow furled in thought. "Oh, you mean the girl who ran out of the dojo crying. No, I haven't seen her since then."

In a voice that was quieter and more hesitant than before Kenshin said, "Have you located the Cardcaptor?"

"The Cardcaptor?" Kawaji said with surprise. "How do you know-no, never mind. I heard that some officers had briefly spotted the Cardcaptor the night of the storm, but in the chaos, she slipped away. The Cardcaptor hasn't been seen since."

Kenshin gulped. His voice was filled with despair as he breathed, " _Sō ka_ …" Then he lifted his head and faced Kawaji with a neutral face. "All right. This one understands."

"N-No… You can't be thinking…" Syaoran stammered. He threw himself at Kenshin, beating at arms and chest with his fists. "She's not dead! She's not! She'll be very angry with you if you do this!" His voice broke at the force of his shouts, "You can't do this! You can't d-die! Please! You can't-!"

Suddenly something with an iron grip seized both of Syaoran's wrists, preventing him from hitting Kenshin. Startled, Syaoran looked up to see Kenshin gazing down at him. "There are more than one way to be strong. There are more than one way to protect someone."

Syaoran blinked, "H-Huh?"

"This one is asking if you trust him. If you trust Sakura-chan."

"I…"

Kenshin smiled his infamous rurouni smile. "Do you trust us?"

"I…"

Well, of course, Syaoran trusted Sakura. That's why he refused to believe she was dead. But did he trust Kenshin? Syaoran closed his eyes thinking, reflecting on all the times Kenshin had been kind to him and had succeeding in winning despite the odds stacked against him. Yes, he was a killer, but he was also Sakura's older brother. A kind, polite, but selfish person, who would do whatever it took that things would be set right.

And that's what Syaoran feared the most.

But how much choice did Syaoran have?

 _No, I can't give up. I won't accept him leaving unless I know he's going to come out of this alive. And there's only one way I can think of that means he'll do everything he can to live…_

With this in mind, Syaoran lowered his fists. He stared into Kenshin's violet eyes. "If I can prove to you that Sakura is still alive, will you live?"

Kenshin's eyes widened. But then resolve transformed his facial features. "Of course."

"Then I trust you." Syaoran gave Kenshin a curt nod, then stepped away. Kenshin and Kawaji exchanged a few words, then Kenshin was lead out the door in chains. But it was all a blur to Syaoran. Only one thought was in his mind.

 _I have to! I have to find Sakura no matter what it takes!_

 _Sakura, I'm coming for you!_

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Busu-Ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Gomen-Sorry; an informal way of apologizing to family or close friends

Gomenasai-Sorry, I'm sorry; a slightly formal apology used only with friends and family

Hai-Yes

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Sō ka-I see, is that so, etc. Has other meanings of which I do not know.

Yappari-I knew it; That's what I thought, etc. Has many other meanings but this is meaning intended in this situation.

* * *

This chapter was meant to set up the stage for the upcoming climax. The next change may be as well, but it should have more suspense and action than this chapter. It is true that this is the start of a new part, but it should be much shorter than the other two parts. And oh, just FYI school starts up for me next week. So it should be pretty obvious I'm following the third RK live action movie's plot, but before you jump to conclusions and say that's all that is to this part three, that's not true. That's not even the main part of the real climax. Muhaha... ^_^

I went back and edited the entire Shishio fight; I made it clearer, shortened it a bit, worked on flow, etc. The biggest changes I made was making the spell with Aoshi and the Clow Book much easier to understand, and I added a conversation between the Clow Cards and Sakura and Co. at the end. I'll upload the changes tomorrow.

Hello, Kura! Sorry, I didn't update sooner. I wanted to go over the Shishio fight again before I wrote more (and once again you all have caught up to me...). Sakura is all right. For now. So I hope that makes you happy (...er). Thanks for reviewing!

Hello, Halley Vanaria! Glad you liked it! Here's more! Thanks for reviewing!

Next Chapter: Hoji's plan unfolds just as he envisions: Kenshin is brought before him to be executed. Can Syaoran find Sakura? Or will Sakura be forced to watch the unbearable and be the pawn Hoji wants her to be?


	31. The Ultimate Despair!

Prepare yourself for the darkest chapter yet.

Disclaimer: I sure feel like I own these characters. Why else would I stay up so late night after night writing stories with them? Sad to say though, I do not own a thing.

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY

The Ultimate Despair!

Kaoru leaned back in the chair she was sitting in, rocking on the back two legs. She craned her head up to look at the ceiling, appearing disinterested.

"Look," the officer growled, resting his arm on the table in front of him. "I don't see any benefit in protecting Battōsai. I promise to negotiate for your release from the police HQ as soon as you tell as what we need."

In an act of defiance, Kaoru loudly blew out her lips. "Pfft." Then Kaoru blinked. _Dear gods, I sound just like Yahiko._ At the thought, Kaoru leaned forward, the front chair legs smacking against the ground. "Well, excuse me, but I don't believe you. You would have shot me and asked questions earlier at the Aoi-Ya just because of my connections to Kenshin. If that other officer hadn't of stopped you, I could have been dead." _Not that I would have disarmed him with my Kamiya Kasshin-ryū, but I'll keep that under wraps for now._ Leaning back in the chair again, Kaoru crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the man. "So I don't see why I should answer any questions my murderer asks."

The police man snarled, his hand curling into a fist. "You-"

Kaoru smirked. "I told you, you wouldn't get anything from me. No matter how long you make me wait, my answer will still be the same: I don't know."

Enraged, the man's face began to turn purple. After taking several deep breaths, he said in a deceptively calm voice, "I do not think you realize what kind of situation you are in. You see, as if a several hours ago, Himura Battōsai became a wanted man. Upon his arrest, he is to be publicly executed as a bloodthirsty demon of a traitor. With his death, justice will be metered for all of his victims and perhaps the threat against Tokyo will be eliminated."

Kaoru's blood became ice in her veins. She wordlessly mouthed, "Public… execution…?"

"And if you don't answer my questions…" The man chuckled. "Well then, I could easily claim that by eating that note, you assisted in his evasion of the police. The price of aiding a traitor to the government… is death." He leaned into close to Kaoru until their faces were inches apart. He sneered, "Tell me… do you want to die along with him?"

"I…"A bead of sweat trickled down Kaoru's face. _Die? Kenshin can't die. I can't die. We promised we would meet up again to search for Sakura-chan!_

Closing her eyes, Kaoru lowered her head. She whispered, "I will tell you…"

The corners of the officer's mouth lifted, revealing his teeth. "Yes…?"

Kaoru jutted her chin, her eyes flashing. "I will tell you nothing!"

The policemen reeled backwards. Kicking the table into the wall, he roared, "Stupid _bitch_!"

Kaoru flinched, but gave no other outward sign of distress. She kept her disgust hidden. _Is this how policemen operate?_

The man whirled onto Kaoru, jabbing his finger at her. "Listen here, you-"

A knock on the door interrupted them. Muttering curses under his breath, the officer opened the door to reveal a bearded man dressed in a policeman's uniform. The bearded man glanced at the fallen table, but then turned his focus to the policeman who had interrogated Kaoru without blinking. Noting this, Kaoru frowned. _Are outbursts with this guy commonplace or something?_

The two men talked quietly before the bearded man handed the first man a sheet of paper. The policeman who had interrogated Kaoru read the message. Slowly turning to Kaoru, he crumpled up the paper and grinned. Shivers shot down Kaoru's spine.

"Battōsai has just willingly turned himself into the authorities in Tokyo."

"W-What?!" Kaoru gasped. "Kenshin wouldn't-"

"Battōsai fled to Tokyo and when he realized the futility of his actions, he gave himself up. While Battōsai may have been arrested willingly, you still aided in his escape."

Kaoru frowned, _But doesn't contradict what he just said?_

"So then I believe I can arrange for your execution right after Battōsai's death." The officer nodded at Kaoru. "Guess I don't need you to tell me anything after all, miss."

All of the ice in Kaoru's blood melted as Kaoru's fury raged like lava. "If you think Kenshin and I will just give up and die, then you're wrong. Dead wrong."

The man only laughed. "All those connected to Battōsai will die within 24 hours. Maybe if you're nice and play along, we'll spare that student of yours."

"Grr…"

The officer only laughed before closing the door behind him. To the bearded messenger, he muttered something like, "...tell Hōji-sama we…"

Kaoru froze. _What_ _was that? Hōji… isn't that the man who works for Shishio? Then that means…_

Spies for Hōji had infiltrated the police. They didn't care about justice or rules and regulations; they would gladly use any method to kill her.

* * *

From atop a horse, Kenshin looked at the vast expanse before him. The waves lapped against the sandy shore while the sun beamed down. It was a peaceful scene, a happy one. _Not a bad place to die_ , Kenshin thought sardonically.

However, the beauty of nature was overshadowed by the mass of military men gathered at the beach. Hōji, with his own line of henchmen, stood facing the Meiji police military with their backs to the ocean. Their smug triumph reeked from even where Kenshin stood, several hundreds of meters away. But most of all, the horizon was marred by the colossal black ship moored at the beach. It was like death itself had arisen from the depths of hell, waiting for its chance to unleash chaos onto the world.

When Kenshin faced Hiko to learn the _ōgi_ , he wasn't afraid of dying; he was afraid of dying a meaningless death. _The question is… is there enough meaning to justify me dying here?_

After Kenshin and Syaoran's meeting with Kawaji, Kenshin and Syaoran had parted. Kenshin was taken to a cell in the police headquarters until preparations for his execution were finished. While there, Kenshin had overheard some police officers. They said they had to wait for a couple of military heads from Kyoto before they could ride a boat to Tokyo. With no windows, Kenshin lost track of time. At least a few hours had passed when the door to his cell was opened. Police officers escorted Kenshin outside. Before Kenshin knew what was happening, his hands were bound behind his back, he was placed upon a horse, surrounded by other military personal, and paraded around Tokyo for all of citizens to mock. It was strangely reminiscent of the ghosts that had condemned Kenshin when Jin-e kidnapped Kaoru. It was like… the whole world had turned on him.

 _No, that's not true. I have friends now. Family. Friends and family who care about me._ So Kenshin held his head up high, showing himself and the rest of the world that their hate could not crush his spirit.

 _And how many times must I repeat myself?!_ The malevolent presence in Kenshin shouted. _Friends equate a liability. They will be people who you would endlessly force yourself to protect. You are no fighting machine. You are a broken man. You cannot fight forever._

 _Rrrrgg!_ Kenshin closed his eyes, holding back a cry of frustration. _Will I ever be free of doubts?!_

When Kenshin arrived on the beach, Saitō helped Kenshin descend the horse. As they walked alongside each other towards the beach, Saitō spoke to Kenshin in a low voice. "I wasn't informed of this until the last minute. I knew Hōji had the Rengoku armed and aimed at Tokyo, but not of his demand of your public execution. Had I known, I would have tried to stop it."

"Saitō-" Kenshin started.

However, Saitō would not be interrupted. "The entire country giving into the demands of one man? Who's not even Shishio? No, there is no justice delivered in your death. Not like this. You're just a sacrifice. I will not allow this. So then we-"

"Saitō, stop," Kenshin cut in, more forcefully this time than the last. In a quieter voice, Kenshin added, "This one is dying anyway, that he is."

Saitō nodded, not missing a beat. "From the wounds you received from fighting Shishio?"

"Y…Yes and no. Before Shishio died, he infected this one with some of his magic. The magic is preventing my wounds from healing. This one estimates that he'll live a day, maybe two."

Saitō's eyebrows furred together. "Magic?"

"His magic, his hate… it still lives on in this one, resonating with this one's own magic and soul. After all, we both lived through the chaos of the Bakumatsu. That chaos, that hell, is not so easy to move beyond even after ten years. If this one cannot, then he will meet his end."

Saitō hissed, "You deserve to die."

"O-Oro?"

"You deserve to die with an attitude like that. Have you forgotten our duel? The winner is the one who survives. To end our ten year duel, one needs the will to live; the will to conquer whatever comes their way."

Kenshin stared at Saitō, marveled by his words. _The will to live…_ Shishō _said that's the stronger force on Earth. The will to… the will to live… what does it mean to live?_

Kenshin turned these thoughts in his head as he was lead to his execution. As Kenshin passed them, the military gave Kenshin looks of respect, while Hōji's men smirked. Hōji himself had the biggest grin, but Kenshin ignored them all.

 _To survive is just to breathe. But to live, to live is to be happy. I have family and friends that make me happy beyond all measure. Even if I must fight to protect them without end, what does it matter if they make me happy?_

The sand shifted underneath his feet, the sun beat down on him, and the murmuring voices reached Kenshin's ears, but in Kenshin's mind he was a million miles away.

 _Yes, I have sinned, and because I must repent for these sins, I have not felt happiness. But if I give up now, I'll never repent. I'll never be happy. Worse yet, I'll force my suffering onto my family and friends._

When Kenshin was in line with Hōji, the procession stopped. Soldiers surrounded Kenshin on every side but his front, ensuring that Hōji and Kenshin could see each other, although a fair amount of distance separated the two. Pressing onto both of Kenshin's shoulders with their hands, the men forced Kenshin down onto his knees.

 _I refuse to give in. I must live. No matter what happens, I_ will _live!_

Kawaji, who was standing behind Hōji, stepped forward. With a slow flick of his hand, he unwrapped a scroll, its end hitting the sand. He eyed it lazily, searching for where he was supposed to read.

"Hey, what's the hold up? Hey!" Impatient, Hōji snatched the scroll from the Kawaji's hands. "Fine then, I'll just read it!" He pursued the scroll for a second before clearing his throat. In a booming voice, Hōji proclaimed, "On this day, Himura Kenshin, also known as Himura Battōsai, shall be publically executed."

Kenshin's fingers curled up into fists behind his back. _No. No, I won't._

But then, oddly, Hōji looked up at Kenshin over the scroll. His disgusting smile twisted Kenshin's insides. When Kenshin narrowed his eyes at Hōji, Hōji continued to stare at Kenshin for quite some time, before returning to the scroll. _Is he… trying to tell me something?_ pondered Kenshin. _Why is there is feeling a dread in the air…?_

Hōji chuckled. "And, oh my, I was just informed that another person shall be executed today."

 _What?!_ Kenshin thought, shocked. _Another person? But who?_

Hōji beckoned to the military leaders behind Kenshin with a hand. Turning his head to the side, Kenshin tried to peer through his guards to see who this mysterious person was. Two police officers escorted someone towards Hōji. Unfortunately, Kenshin never saw their face. However, he could make out their bound hands behind their back, resting over a ratty gi and hakama. Something about the determined set of their shoulders, the defiant raising of their chin, was oh so painfully familiar…

Everyone was silent as the trio walked over to Hōji. Hōji, for whatever reason, welcomed them with open arms. He laughed, "For aiding this traitor in his escape, you are condemned to death…"

The prisoner turned around to face Kenshin, giving him the sweetest smile Kenshin had ever seen.

It shattered his heart.

Hōji smirked, "…Kamiya-"

"KAORU!"

Everyone turned their heads to Kenshin's right, where Yahiko fought against a police officer trying to hold him back. "Kaoru, Kenshin, no!" he shouted, devastated. Pushing their way through the crowd towards Yahiko were Sano, Misao, and Aoshi, all equally as troubled as the student.

Violently grabbing Kaoru's chin, Hōji jerked Kaoru towards him. Her indigent cry captured Kenshin's attention, bringing his focus back to Hōji. Hoji scoffed, "Tell me, Battōsai, how does it feel knowing that someone close to you will die because they cared about a demon like you?"

"A-Ah… Ah…" Kenshin tried to form words, but it was impossible. Kaoru, innocent Kaoru, dying because of him? No, this couldn't be happening. But even deeper than his shock, was a voice. A voice telling him, _Yappari_. It was impossible to distinguish whether the voice was the malevolent presence, but it whispered, _You knew this would happen someday. You let someone into your heart, and now they will die all because you're an irredeemable scumbag._

Despair was feasting on Kenshin's rotting heart. And Kenshin had no hope left to stop it.

Hōji's maniacal laughter rang through Kenshin's ears as he shouted, "Now, let the execution begin!"

* * *

Gasping and spluttering, Syaoran raised his head above the ocean. After coughing, Syaoran said, "I think we have enough information now."

Kero, in his tiny form, flew close to Syaoran's head. "Plus, it ain't much longer until they start red head's execution. We have ta go." Syaoran swiped the water form his eyes and then nodded.

For the past several hours, Syaoran and Kero had been teaming up to locate the Rengoku and memorize the guard routes patrolling the Rengoku's halls. Syaoran, using his water magic, would propel himself underwater to the Rengoku. With his wind magic, he would float himself to unwatched places and observe the men guarding the halls. Whenever anyone came to close, Syaoran had fled to the waters, only to return a little bit later. With the Rengoku being so massive, it took ten forevers, but it was worth it. Syaoran felt he had a sense of the layout of the boat. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to explore below decks; it was too risky without knowing the guard's routes. But now he had clearer idea of when the men entered and exited below decks. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

" _Suiryū_ _Shourai_." After gulping one last breath, Syaoran dived underwater. The waters of the ocean pressed Syaoran forward, bringing him to the boat in next to no time.

Kero nodded to Syaoran, then disappeared above the surface. Holding in his breath, Syaoran waited. After a minute, Kero burst into the waters again. He hurriedly gestured to the surface. _Now!_

Mentally calling upon the ocean again, Syaoran swam to the water's edge. Thanks to his magic, Syaoran broke the surface noiselessly. " _Fukka Shourai_." The winds gathered around Syaoran's feet and lifted him up the ship's side. When Syaoran's feet hit the deck, he took off running. Darting into a door, Syaoran dashed down the dark hall.

 _All right, I'm in! Now to find some stairs…_

 _There!_ To Syaoran's left, a short corridor led to some stairs that descended into the ship's depths. Before Syaoran pounded down them, Kero stopped him.

"Wait. Let me go first."

Syaoran nodded, then tucked himself in a corner hidden from sight of anyone using the hallway. _Man things would be so much easier if Sakura was here._ A faint smile appeared on his face as he thought, _She would use Illusion, to make us look like were guards or use shadow to hide us from sight._ A pang ripped through his heart. _Oh, Sakura…_

"Kid!" A harsh whisper exclaimed. "Let's move!"

Without hesitation, Syaoran descended the stairs two at a time. Just as Syaoran was about to jump over the railing on the last flight of steps, the doors opened. Two middle aged guards gave a start when they spied Syaoran and Kero.

"Intrud-"

Syaoran thrust his sword. " _Fukka Shourai!_ " Wind crashed into the men, slamming them into the doorframe. Slumping against the frame, they fell into unconsciousness.

Syaoran descended down the stairs as Kero flew over to the bodies. "Tsk. They couldn't have shown up at a worst time. We don't have time to look for a closet to stash them in and if we leave them here, they're bound to be discovered sooner or later."

"Then," Syaoran said with a grunt. He grabbed the arms of one of the men and began to pull them in the shadows under the stairs. "We have to go even faster." Once his task was done, and Kero gave the all clear signal, Syaoran left the stairs behind.

As Syaoran ran down the hall, he wondered, _Do I take another set of stairs down or do I explore this floor more? The ship is so huge, I could be on the right floor, but on the wrong side of the ship and never know it._ However, when Kero found another set of stairs and urged Syaoran to take them, Syaoran obeyed without question.

Kero guided Syaoran through twists and turns, avoiding as many guards as possible and knocking them out when that proved impossible. As Kero flew by Syaoran's side, he said, "I don't really sense Sakura, but there's no other place she'd be. I'm just following gut instinct."

Syaoran frowned, "You're not using magic?"

"No. It's all I can do to suppress our magical presence from detection with so many people in close range. Besides-hold it!"

Syaoran halted and pressed himself against a wall. Peering over a corner, Syaoran spied a least a half dozen men in the hallway, guarding doors or patrolling. Removing his head from the corner, Syaoran turned to Kero. "What do we do?"

"My, my, what do we have here?"

Syaoran's sword was out and in his hand in a flash. All he needed now was to know what kind of spell he should use and-

" _Maa_ , _maa_. I do not wish to fight, only to know who you are."

Syaoran narrowed his eyes at the man, pointedly remaining silent. For whatever reason, the man looked strangely familiar, like he had seen the man somewhere before. The dark hair and eyes, the blue gi and hakama, the sword on his side… it was all familiar, but Syaoran couldn't place a name to the face.

The dark haired man raised his hands in a placating gesture. He smiled widely at Syaoran again. The man wore the smile like it was a permanent fixture on his face. "You're Cardcaptor-san's friend, aren't you? Li Syaoran, was it?"

Syaoran gasped. "How do you-"

The man crossed his arms in thought. "I don't sense enough magic on you for you to have come to this time period from the future on your own. Did you and the Cardcaptor do it together then?" The man frowned slightly. "Ah, how disappointing. Guess all my work was for nothing."

"What do you want?" Kero growled. "We don't have time to fight." Syaoran frowned in confusion. Did Kero know this guy?

The man's eyes darkened slightly, as though he was saddened by something. When he smiled again, it seemed to lack its previous luster. "3B."

"Huh?"

"3B. You should find the person you're looking for there." Spinning on his heel, the man turned around. As he walked away he said over his shoulder, he quipped, "I would hurry." He gave a little wave, and then disappeared.

Blinking, Syaoran lowered his sword. What had just happened?

Kero, meanwhile, had peered over the corner again. "It's a room!" he exclaimed.

"What?" asked Syaoran.

Kero pointed to a wooden marker that was on the wall next to every door. On it was a number followed by a letter, in this case it was 3M. "He was telling us a room number. He must have told us where Sakura is!"

Syaoran sagged in relief against the wall. _Sakura's okay… She's alive…_ Closing his eyes, Syaoran tilted his head back, trying to hold in tears of happiness. _I knew you would keep your word._

Kero turned back to Syaoran with a giant smile on his face. It seemed like he was seconds from bursting with excitement as he proclaimed, "Come on, let's go!"

"I-I…" Syaoran looked at the ground, lowering his arms so much that the sword grazed the floor. _Again… it's happening again… She stuck alone, and I… except now it's worse. I have to choose between what I want and what I know she would tell me to do…_

"Huh?" Kero said in complete bafflement. He flew closer to Syaoran's face. "What's wrong?"

Syaoran dipped his head, shadows covering his face. "Before I gave her the Nameless Card, I told her that I trusted her… that I trusted myself to find her again if we ever got separated again."

Kero raised his arms to the side, still confused. In a tone that said he thought he was stating the obvious, Kero said, "So what's stopping you? Here's your chance."

"But I already know what she's going to say. She's going to tell me she's all right and send me away to go save everyone else. If we go search for her first, we may already be too late to stop it."

Syaoran raised his head to look at Kero. His murky brown eyes revealed just how conflicted and torn he was. In a strained voice, he whispered, "I want to trust her…"

All of his enthusiasm gone, Kero stared at Syaoran stone faced. "Even if she might be hurt and dying, you're gonna do what she would want ya ta do."

Syaoran clenched the hilt of his sword so hard, he thought he heard a crack. "I want to trust in her. To hope that the next time we'll see each other will be the last time we'll be separated ever again."

"And Kenshin? Ya told him you would get proof that she's alive."

Syaoran shook his head. "He asked me to trust him and Sakura. If she can ask me to trust her, then so can he. But for me, I have to do this."

Kero continued to stare at Syaoran, unflinching. He was utterly impossible to read. After a long moment, Kero flew over Syaoran's shoulder. "Then come," he said in a flat, emotionless tone. "There's a place we have to go to."

* * *

His back up against the wall aside a massive double doors, Syaoran glanced at Kero, who flew at the doors' other side. This was it. The doors that led to where the cannons that would bomb Tokyo. It was up to them to stop them before they fired. Silently, Syaoran held up three fingers. Kero nodded and then transformed into his true form. Syaoran lowered one of his fingers, then another, and another…

"Now!"

Syaoran and Kero burst open the doors, sword and fireballs at the ready. A dozen high pitched _shiiink_ rang through the air, as well as a few clicks.

Syaoran and Kero froze instantly as they noticed the room with all the cannons was heavily guarded. A dozen swords and a few guns were aimed at them.

Syaoran had never hated himself more than in that moment.

He let his sword drop from his hand and lifted his hands up in surrender.

* * *

Sakura sat in the darkness all alone, her arms wrapped around her legs with her forehead resting on her knees. Trying to suppress her fear and anxiety was a next to impossible task, but she squashed them deep within herself, as she had done so many times before. She had to focus. She had to think of a way out of here. She _had_ to.

This time so many lives were on the line.

She could use the Clow Cards to escape, but honestly her fight against Shishio had exhausted her. In this instance, magic was a last resort. As the hours passed, Sakura overhead the shuffling of guards stationed outside her door. If Sakura was truly trapped in a ship, there was no way Sakura could escape on her own, magic or no. That meant she was left waiting…

The door to the outside creaked open. Sakura lifted her head, the light blinding her temporary. But even without her vision, Sakura could sense the oozing madness of the person who entered her room.

The man's grin distorted his face. "It's time."

…waiting for Hōji to force her to "play the biggest part of all".

Accepting the inevitable, Sakura slowly stood up. She was surprised that the man wasn't actually Hōji himself, but one of his loyal lackeys. Seeing the confusion on her face, the man explained, "Hōji-sama would come personally, but he's busy."

"'Busy'? With what-"

"Silent, wretch!" The man jerked his head and thumb to the open doorway, "Move it. And I don't want to hear another word from you."

Fuming, Sakura snapped her jaw shut with an audible noise. However, she followed the man out of the room without protest. Guards fell into step with them as they made their way up to uppermost deck of the ship, open to the outside world. Sakura didn't pay any attention to her surroundings. She only clasped her key pendent, praying for strength.

Before they ascended the last steps before heading outside, the guards inexplicably stopped. The man who first retrieved her from her room turned to the others and explained, "We escort the girl out when we're needed." He turned back to the door, crossing his arms. He smugly added, "Well, it won't be much longer."

Sakura ran cold. _'Much longer'? Then… could he have already… No! I can't believe that. He's okay, I know he is. I have to make sure that he is safe._

Unfortunately, seeing as she was still trapped within the ship, Sakura didn't see any other option than using magic. She just hoped that she wasn't too late. Under watchful scrutiny from the guards, Sakura crept up the stairs towards the door. Sakura silently called upon Windy and the Voice Clow Cards. After a few minutes, Windy brought back voices of people outside upon its winds. Voice whispered the words into her ear, ensuring clarity of the words. It seemed like it had already begun without her.

"Tell me, Battōsai," the Voice told Sakura in Hoji's voice, "how does it feel knowing that someone close to you will die because they cared about a demon like you?"

Sakura's brows furled in thought. Then she gasped, _Does he mean me? Is he going to agree to dying because he doesn't want me to die?_ Masaka _!_

Hōji's maniacal laughter rang through Sakura's ears as he shouted, "Now, let the execution begin!"

"No!"

In a flash, Sakura burst through the door and ran to the railing of the Rengoku, overlooking the beach. Military heads, hundreds of military officers and civilians turned their heads in surprise and bafflement towards Sakura. Hōji gave her a look of astonishment, followed by a look of pure rage. But Sakura ignored all of them, looking for her older brother.

In the far side of the beach, Kenshin, bound by ropes, was kneeling on the sand, surrounded by guards. But there was a clear line of sight between them. It appeared as though his mouth was open slightly and his eyes were widened, but the distance between them was too great to infer any of his emotions. But it didn't matter. Because as long as he was alive, Sakura could still fight. When she spoke, she spoke not to the hundreds who had gathered, but directly to her older brother.

"I won't let you throw your life away!"

And with those words, Sakura vaulted over the railing of the ship. Hordes of people gasped as the girl willingly plunged herself into the waters. To the outside world, it appeared as though she committed a strange suicide, only to reappear again at the water's edge. She ran with a confidence the beguiled her young age, her fierce aura was enough to make soldiers meekly move out of her way. Her eyes were that of a battled hardened warrior, alien to their image of what little lady should be. But they would never know who the girl truly was, that she had bent the rules of reality to ensure a safe landing to the ground. That she appeared to be a fighter, because she was; she had fought dozens of hopeless battles and emerged victorious, the least of which against a man who thirsted to bring the world to its knees. They would never know, because he had protected her from the world, keeping her identity and ability a secret all this time. Just as he had once rescued her when a village was hell bent on killing her, she would repay him for all that he had done for her. To protect him against the hate of the world, convincing him and soothing his soul. And she would do it in a way that he and all of her friends would be proud of.

For the Cardcaptor of the Stars would not give up without a fight.

Sakura made her way through the crowd of Hōji's minions and walked towards Kenshin. Stopping halfway in the dead zone between Hōji's henchmen and the military police of Japan, Sakura stared at Kenshin. She let all of her thoughts be shown to him through her steel gaze. Though Kenshin showed an impassive expression to the world, his face was never easier to read than at that moment. There was hope and happiness at knowing she was alive, sadness and regret at his failure to repent for his sins before his death, and fear. Fear not for his own life, but for Sakura's life. To this Sakura smiled gently.

Whipping around, Sakura raised her voice, addressing all who had gathered here. "Do you know why you have all gathered here? Do you really know?" Pointing at Hōji, Sakura proclaimed, "We are here because this man will bomb Tokyo with his cannons on that ship." Gasps and panic filled the civilians. Over their shouts and exclamations, Sakura heard one of the military captains order his men to shut her up. Sakura turned to him and gave him such a chilling, stern look that he froze.

Over the cries of public, Sakura shouted, "The man, Hōji-san, has claimed that he will bomb Tokyo if another man would die." Sakura turned around to point at Kenshin. "That man. But if you kill him, you will be making the biggest mistake of your life.

"In my time here, I have seen and heard of the government betraying its own people, revenge so deep in people's hearts that they would hunt down one person across the country, the hatred of the people during the Bakumatsu, and the hatred of the new government. But isn't this a new era? A new era in which the betrayal, revenge, and hatred of the past is supposed to be left behind? The Bakumatsu, the war, the fighting… is all over. This Meiji era is an era of peace. One person's death may not seem to be a lot, especially when thousands of others could be saved. But if the government were to execute him, when will the era of peace begin? By executing this person, you'll be starting this new era of peace with blood on its ground. That this new era of peace can't live without sacrifice." Clenching her fists, Sakura exclaimed, "Is that the kind of peace you want?" Her voice dropping in volume, Sakura added, "Is that even peace at all?"

Turning to Kenshin, Sakura raised both of her hands towards Kenshin. "Do you even know who you are going to kill? His name is Himura Kenshin, but some people only know him as Hitokiri Battōsai." Sakura saw the light in Kenshin's eyes dim at hearing her calling him such. Sakura faintly smiled at him as she continued, "People say that he was like a demon, killing people left and right and then disappearing in the night. Even I, who hasn't been here long, know the stories. But how many people know that he fought so that there would be peace one day? That he fought to protect the weak?

"How many of you knew that he was a wandering rurouni? He felt so bad about killing people that he has never used a sword again. Instead, he uses a sakabatō, a reserve blade sword, which can't kill anyone. To repent for all the lives he ended, he wandered Japan for ten years using that sakabatō to protect the weak. And when people wanted to battle him for revenge, he always accepted their challenge to duel." Slowly turning, Sakura met the eyes of people as she said, "For ten years, he has been all alone, trying to repent for his sins of killing others, all the while slowly killing himself."

In a quieter voice, Sakura asked, "Did you know that he turned his back on his hometown to save my life? Everyone else had abandoned me to die, everyone except this person you want to kill. He took me in, let me join him in his travels because I had nowhere else to go. He showed me such kindness and compassion that I now call him family." Fighting back tears, Sakura choked, "Did you know that when I first told him that I loved him, he hesitated because he was afraid that loving me back would hurt me in some way because of his past?"

Kenshin's eyes softened. He murmured, "Sakura… chan…"

Sakura smiled warmly at him, before blinking the tears away and swallowing the lump in her throat. Pivoting on her heel, Sakura raised her arms and addressed everyone. "Now that you know all that, ask yourselves: can you still kill him?" Turing around Sakura stared at Hōji. He looked downright murderous, but Sakura didn't care. Lifting her chin, Sakura dared to ask, "Will you let the threat of one man make you kill another to break the peace of this new era?" Turning back to the crowd of military heads and civilians, Sakura challenged, "Or will you stand up and fight? Fight to stop the spread of evil in the world… and in our own hearts." Closing her eyes, Sakura confidently walked away from Hōji and his men, making her way towards the kneeling Kenshin. "It's your choice, but…"

Kenshin smiled the biggest smile Sakura had ever seen. His face was flushed and, though there were unshed tears in his eyes, his face radiated happiness. As Sakura approached him, the words that warmed Sakura's heart and soul dropped from his lips without the slightest hesitation.

"This one loves you."

Sakura lifted a hand to Kenshin's cheek, brushing her fingers across it. "I love you, too."

A gun shot ran through the air. Something tore its way through Sakura, causing her to jerk at the force of it. For whatever reason, her stomach felt like it was on fire. "W-Wha…" Sakura tried to form words, but something heavy and sticky rose up from her throat and out her mouth, cutting off any sound she made. She glanced down, to see the front of her Cardcaptor dress was stained red. _Is that…?_

A horrible choking, vomiting noise was followed by a spew of red liquid spraying her. Sakura looked up to see Kenshin coughing and shuddering, blood all over the lower half of his face. His center of his chest… was covered in blood. Blood was pouring out of a hole where his heart was. And a terror unlike any fear Sakura had ever experienced seized her. _K-Ken-nii!_

Kenshin's shuddering became worse, causing him to fall to the sand on his side. Sakura fell to her knees beside him. "N-Nii-chan!" She forced out. The soldiers surrounding Kenshin stepped back, too shocked at the turn of the events to do anything. But Sakura didn't spare a morsel of her attention on anyone else, because it looked like Kenshin was in pain and was hurting and that looked like a ton of blood, too much blood, and this wasn't happening, wasn't happening, wasn't happening…

Sweat beaded down Kenshin's brow and he convulsed in pain. Despite this, he attempted to smile up at her. Through the blood flowing out of his mouth, Kenshin tried to speak, his lips moving noiselessly.

"W-What?" Sakura leaned down close to Kenshin, which caused a flare of pain to run through her. But it didn't matter, didn't matter because right before her eyes he was… he was…

Kenshin again moved his lips, but because of the blood, Sakura couldn't make out his lips to read what he was saying. Then his head fell back against the ground, his eyes unseeing, his entire body still. An eternity passed before Sakura realized what must have happened.

"N-N… N-N…" Raising a hand to Kenshin's neck, Sakura checked for a pulse, like Kenshin had taught her. However her hand and arm shook uncontrollably. It took several attempts to find the right place. After a few moments she raised the trembling hand to her face, seeing the blood on it.

She had felt nothing under her fingertips. He was…

Kenshin was dead.

"KENSHIN! No! How could you-HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?!"

Everyone turned around to see a young boy with his foot on the railing of the Rengoku, his sword pointed angrily at everyone. Blood ran down rivulets in various places on his body, causing Sakura's heart to stop. Rage consumed him as tears streamed down his face. He had finally called Kenshin by his name, only for it to be too late.

"S-Syaoran-kun…?" She mumbled.

In a flash of light, a giant lion beast unfolded its wings. He lifted his head and roared with such a ferocity that shook the ground, a ferocity that conveyed all of his grief and his baying for blood. Syaoran ascended Kero in one leap and Kero took off, flying towards Kenshin. As soon as Kero's paws left the deck, gunmen burst out of the door on the ship behind them. They began to unleash their bullets onto Kero. Sakura felt like someone was twisting the air out of her lungs as she watched one bullet hit their mark, then another. A third bullet hit one of Kero's wings and he tilted to the side. Syaoran leaned forward, urging Kero forward. Grinning with glee, Hōji reloaded his smoldering gun, aimed, and fired. Syaoran jerked, his chest blooming with blood, and then slid off Kero's back and onto the ground face down. Unmoving. Kero slowed momentarily to look back at Syaoran. His hesitation cost him. Another bullet hit him and he followed Syaoran, tumbling to the ground.

"A-Ah…" Making incoherent noises, Sakura crept towards Kero on her hands and knees. The pain from her own bullet wound tore into her, forcing her to stop before making any headway. But Kero's face was on the ground, facing towards her. She could see the bloody, mattered yellow fur on his face, his black eyes, his mouth snarled in fury. But he didn't move. He didn't boast about his glory or whine for candy or greet her… after all she had missed him like crazy while she was kidnapped and here they were reunited and he didn't even bother to say hello…

Sakura made the mistake of glancing behind Kero to see Syaoran. The blood pooled from underneath his body, reaching farther out with every second. Seeing Syaoran lying on the ground, with all that blood… something broke within Sakura… something that never should have broken…

"Kenshin! Li-kun! No!" From behind a few of Hōji's men, Kaoru ran forward. Her hair flew about her wildly and tears ran down her face. However, before Kaoru could get any farther, one of Hōji's men grabbed onto the ropes around her hands and pulled her towards him. Too focused on the horrific sight before her, Kaoru didn't resist. "You can't be… You can't be!" Pulling out a knife, the man stabbed Kaoru in her side, then twisted it upwards. In one fluid motion, he ripped the knife out of her, blood flying everywhere. The man released her. Kaoru fell to the ground, her cries violently ended. It all happened in a second. Sakura hadn't even known she was there.

Anguished cries followed one after the other as everyone broke out in pandemonium. Yahiko dropped to his knees, his strangled shouts gut wrenching. Misao brought a trembling hand to her mouth. By the shocked expression on her face, she probably didn't even realize she was crying. Sano and Aoshi charged forward, fists and swords pummeling anyone who crossed their paths as they headed to Hōji.

But Sakura didn't hear or see any of this. All that filled her mind was the sight of her family and friends lying motionless, blooding staining the ground. _Ken-nii… Syaoran-kun… Kero-chan… Kaoru onee-san…_ All gone. Never again to smile again or laugh again or tease each other and goof off again or see the sun rise one more time or talk to her again or grow up or just hold her again…

Sakura raised her bloody hands to claw the sides of her head. _M-My dream… where everyone I loves dies right before my eyes… it came true… I couldn't… I couldn't stop it… And now they're, they're…_

They were dead.

And they. Were never. Coming back.

Something deep within her cracked again. It shattered, breaking into a thousand pieces. Her soul.

From deep within her shattered, broken soul, Sakura raised her head to the sky and screamed.

" ** _NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_** **!** "

Two twin tears fell from Sakura's eyes, soaking into the ground, followed by an unending stream. As soon as the tears hit the ground, a rumbling deep within the earth. The rumbling grew in force, until the entire beach began to shake violently, throwing people to the ground. The wind suddenly quadrupled in its gusts, tearing its way through the beach. By some unnatural hand, they swept towards above Sakura's head. People screamed in fright and abject terror as a rip in the fabric of reality appeared above Sakura's head. The rip widened, until it became a large, purple and black void. And the wind began to suck the sand and anything else light into the void, where it vanished. A black hole.

Besides Kenshin, Saitō stepped back, for once fear in his eyes. "What the… what the hell?! This is… this is just like when she brought Mt. Hiei tumbling down, but a million times worse!"

Although Sakura couldn't hear, Kero lifted his head to see the void. He struggled to say, "No… the disaster foretold by Clow Reed-sama… that would end the world wasn't Shishio? It was the Cardcaptor losing all hope? Oh, Sakura, I'm so sorry-" But before Kero could finish, his head fell to the ground again, this time for good.

Born from the deepest, darkest despair from the one who was to protect the world a new, destructive entity came into existence.

The Nothing.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Fukka Shourai-Petals of wind, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates winds from his _jufu_ that are used to send things flying or allow for brief levitation.

Masaka-No way, that can't be, etc.

Ōgi-The ultimate secret or best move of a sword style

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Suiryū Shourai-Water god, come forth; One of the Syaoran's four magic spells that creates large amounts of water from his _jufu_.

Yappari-I knew it, just as I thought, etc. Has many other meanings but in this instance this is what I mean

* * *

Another posting after midnight. Sorry! I wasn't just sitting on my butt, I've been working on it since the very last minute, I promise!

Some of you may question why Syaoran left Sakura to go stop the cannons instead. But I felt that with Syaoran's character growth, with his newfound trust in himself and Sakura and wanting to be stronger, going to check up on Sakura would go back on what Syaoran had said earlier. Also, yes, I am aware that I am fudging the CCS canon by having Sakura create the Nothing of her own power. I just felt it would have more impact this way.

Hello, Halley Vanaria! I'm quite happy to hear that you think things are getting more interesting. From the beginning I didn't just want this to be a retelling of the events of the RK storyline, which is why this is continuing past Hoji (even though it is still based on RK material). And oh, I'm so sorry that you've been waiting for my reply about Fairy Tail! I didn't realize. I looked it up and it certainly seems like an anime I can get into. However, right now I have a bunch of other long animes to watch like Slayers, Hunter x Hunter, and Saint Seiya. But after or even inbetween watching those, I may very well watch Fairy Tail! Thanks for reviewing!

Hello, Kura! Um... well, none of those things happened. If you don't hate what is happening now, you're going to hate what will happen. But don't worry, everything has a way of being all right in the end. :) Thanks for the review!

Next Chapter: Left all alone, Sakura released her despair, creating the Nothing. Will the Nothing destroy the world like Kero and Clow Reed predicted? Who could possibly stop it?


	32. Finding Hope!

Sorry for the wait, but here's the longest chapter yet (32 pages and nearly 10,000 words)! It's definitely better than my original draft as it includes a certain character not seen in this before… so enjoy!

Quick note! * denote flashbacks. Thoughts and speech's formats remain the same.

Disclaimer: I have no magic wand to grant my wish to make me own RK and CCS, and honestly, I wouldn't want to own them. They rightfully belong to their creators. If I created them, they won't be the same characters and world that everyone loves.

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

Finding Hope!

They were dead.

All of them.

Kenshin. Syaoran. Kero. Kaoru. They were all gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Dead. Dead. Dead. They had all been killed and discarded without a second thought after they had "served their purpose". As if they didn't matter. As if they didn't have hopes and dreams and loves… Their deaths should have never occurred. Raw, bony fingers gouged into Sakura's soul and ripped out the pieces of her heart. Her overwhelming despair had birthed a monster that equally should not have been created.

The Nothing, a being who could act as a black hole with a power equal to all 52 Clow Cards. A being like that could easily destroy the already weakened magical balance of the planet, ushering the destruction of the world.

This certainly was a fear shared by everyone who was unfortunate enough to be on that beach.

There was absolute pandemonium. In the wake of the deaths and the rip of fabric of reality, people screamed in terror and abandoned each other in their confused attempts to escape. Any military fool stupid enough to try to restore order was pushed aside as other uniformed men reached for their weapons, only to realize there was no target. And still yet others, from all sides, fell to their knees, praying, for they correctly believed the end of the world was upon them.

And in the middle of everyone was a young girl, sobbing her heart out. And the longer and more desperate Sakura became the larger the Nothing and the rip became. Clawing her head so hard, Sakura felt blood run down her face, mixing with her tears.

 _No… I don't feel anything. No, I don't have a heart. Not anymore. I don't have anything left._ With these thoughts, the winds began to sweep in dark clouds. _My family… my friends… they were here. Just minutes ago. They were here, they were alive. They were happy, weren't they? It didn't matter if this wasn't my time period, I was happy with them… so, so happy… I remember when I first met them…_

* "KENSHIN NII-CHAN!"

Startled, Kaoru whirled around to see a smiling face of a little girl emerge from between the rurouni's legs.

"O-Ororo?!" The rurouni stammered, just as surprised as Kaoru and quite a deal flustered.*

 _…and about how the more time passed the more our friendship meant to me._

Civilians who had previously thirsted for blood Kenshin's blood now ran screaming, heading towards the path leading back to Tokyo. Military men who were reduced to quaking in their boots ignored their civic duty and pushed their own way through the fleeing crowd. But no one made it that far; the rumbling and shaking of the earth tossed many to the ground, only to be trampled by others. And the wind whipped through the people like a whip, vicious and bitingly cold.

 _They didn't know that of course, which is why I told them._ _But they killed them anyway._

* Taking advantage of everyone's distraction, Yahiko nabbed some of the packets, tore them open, poured it into his coffee, and drank it.

"Yahiko!" cried Kaoru, indignantly. "Those belong to Sakura!"

" _Maa_ , _maa_ ," Kenshin smiled. *

 _And now we will never get to visit the Akabeko or get to relax and goof off and tease each other until Kaoru onee-san and Yahiko-kun are blue in the face while Ken-nii tries to make everyone get along…_

The wind only increased in force, reaching speeds of 65 miles per hour. Sands flew upwards into the black hole above Sakura's head in streams; soon there wouldn't be much of a beach anymore. Any loose items like hats and shoes fell victim to the greedy hole.

 _I'll never hear their voices again…_

* Sakura wiped her muddy and tear streaked face, but more tears quickly replaced the ones she brushed away. "I need you so, so much… You won't leave me? Promise? We'll be together forever?"

Sakura could have spotted the reluctance in Kenshin's eyes a mile away. "Sakura… This one can't…"

Sakura threw her arms around Kenshin. Gripping Kenshin in a death grip, she shouted in his ear, "TOGETHER FOREVER?!"

Kenshin stiffened in surprise at the forcefulness of Sakura's words. After a long, agonizing moment, Kenshin hugged Sakura back fiercely and whispered, "This one promises, Sakura-chan. We'll be together forever. You, this one, and Kero." *

 _All it took was one look in his sympathetic, violet eyes and I knew that Ken-nii would never hurt me. And with that trust, Ken-nii rescued me and a bond between the two of us was formed. I loved him with all of my heart and he saw me as the dearest person to him. After being alone and hurting so long, all I wanted was to give him a little bit of the same happiness he had given me. Without a doubt, Ken-nii was one of the kindest, the gentlest, and the most considerate people I have ever known._

 _My brother had promised we'd be together forever, but it didn't matter._ _The world made my brother a liar. He tried his best and fought one battle after another to keep his promise to me but the world crushed the life out of him._

By now dark, boiling clouds had blocked out the sun for tens of miles around the area. People in Tokyo, who had no idea of the proceedings on the fateful beach, began to fear, believing the darkness during the day to be sign of an angry Buddha. But there wasn't complete darkness; flickers of lightning began to light up the sky. But despite the increasingly dangerous weather, Sano and Aoshi continued to besiege Hōji's minions. Mad with righteous rage, they cut through the ranks like a hot knife slicing butter. Sano, half laughed, half screamed, as he punched men and smashed the heads together. It was hard to tell because of the rain, if the water tracks on Sano's face were made from the rain, sweat, or tears. Aoshi remained silent as always, but his eyes glowed with an inner fury. His eyes, and the inhuman speed and merciless method Aoshi dispatched his victims left no room in their minds that they faced the wrath of a demon.

* "What do you think of that?" Sakura whispered to Kero, who was, also as usual, hiding in her hat.

"Of what?" Kero asked.

"Of staying here in this time period a little longer."

Kero waited a moment before he responded. "Whatever makes you happy, Sakura," he said, his voice carrying a bit of sadness.

Hearing Kero's answer, Sakura was reminded of her outburst when she was lost in the alleyways. How she believed she was all alone when she always had Kero by her side. She lowered her head. "I'm so sorry, Kero-chan. Forgive me… I didn't mean…"

Kero sighed, "It's all right, kiddo." He rubbed Sakura's head, fondly. "I certainly didn't want to be transported to this time period, either. I've felt lonely, too. We just got to stick together like icing and cake. I'm just glad there are some candles too." *

 _Kero-chan, who had been with me since the beginning, always kept my spirits up when things were bleak. Without him, who will be my friend? Who will help me complete my duties as the Cardcaptor? Who will beg Tomoyo-chan to video tape him?_

Thunder boomed like a thousand cannons and the lightning strikes grew to be so massive that the almost grazed the ground. Rain fell in such thick sheets that, when combined with the wind, made visibility next to zero. Escape, as more and more people were beginning to realize, was becoming impossible.

* "Sakura-chan, listen to me." Kaoru released the hug and turned Sakura to her, making sure to wear a big reassuring smile. "If you ever get any nightmares, then you come and sleep in my futon with me. Don't worry about you being too old or anything silly like that, okay?" Kaoru gently tweaked Sakura's nose.

Sakura grinned and nodded. "Thank you, Kaoru onee-san! Thank you so much. You know…" she started, her eyes looking off into the distance, "I have an older brother, Tōya, and my father back at home, but my mother died when I was young. I know after she died she still watched over me when I was in the present, but I don't know about here in the past. But even if she isn't, I got you! You're a lot like what I think my mom was like. Or an older sister, I guess, since you're… you know." Sakura laughed. "Young. And you're pretty too." *

 _Kaoru, who took me in her dojo, who encouraged and comforted me, who I saw as an older sister. She was the closet I could get to having a mom again… She asked if I would return to the dojo with everyone so that I could make it my second home. Now I can't do the last thing she asked me because a home is empty without a family._

The large drop in temperature must have acted like a slap in the face for Misao, for she jerked out of her shock. Shaking Yahiko's shoulder, she urged Yahiko to stand up. Before Yahiko answered her, Misao ran forward, her arms shielding her face. Slipping and sliding, Misao and Yahiko, who followed her after a moment's hesitation, made their way to Kero's and Syaoran's bodies. Misao muttered a chant under her breath while her fingers weaved strange complex patterns. Finished, Misao shouted, "Kuji Kiri! Sha! Healing!"

Nothing happened. No mystical light, no stirring of the bodies, no breathing. Nothing.

Despite her shaking hands and shoulders, Misao a fierce determination overtook her. She tried again. "Kuji Kiri! Sha! Healing!" She tried again. And again. And again and again and again and again-

"Knock it off!" Yahiko screamed, shoving Misao to the ground. "They're freaking dead, all right?"

"IT'S NOT ALL RIGHT!" Misao screamed right back.

* "Stop!" Syaoran cried, shocking them both. Before he could stop himself though, Syaoran faced Sakura and took her hands in his. "I know what I said and that you haven't told me if you feel the same, but it's okay. It's okay if you don't know how you feel because, well I mean, I hope you feel the same as I do, but, even if it means that it's ten years from now or fifty I'll wait until you figured out how you feel. I'll wait. I'll… I'll wait forever," Syaoran breathed, squeezing Sakura's hands. *

 _Syaoran-kun… even just thinking his name causes spasms of pain through me. I had just realized my love for him… I made him wait for me so long… I should have just told him my feelings the instant I realized them. Now he'll really will be waiting forever. An eternity separates us. He'll never know how much he means to me and we'll never know just what our future could have been…_

The rain, as time passed, seemed to have larger rain drops. And caused a fair deal more sting when it hit someone.

"Hail!" Someone shouted. "Hail!"

What? That's impossible, many people thought. Sure, the temperature must have dropped below freezing, yes, but it was summer… A closer look revealed that it was indeed hailing-the ice balls were as big as marbles. And with each gust of the wind, they only grew larger. The panic in the air only tripled, as all thoughts of escaping alive abandoned everyone present. Cursing the gods or praying to them, they hunkered down, covering their heads. No cover was available on a beach to shelter them from the brutal onslaught of the heavens.

* Tōya's eyes bore into Sakura. "…What do you have to do to go home?"

Sakura remained silent for a while, contemplating the answer, even though she knew it immediately. She only had to work up her courage. She raised her head and stared deep into Tōya's dark eyes. "I have to stop Shishio."

"Then if want to go home and see me again you don't have any time to waste on being scared. You have to keep on fighting. That's all there is to it."

Tōya was right. Kenshin had learned the secret from his master in order to stop Shishio, now it was her turn to step up to the plate. Sakura nodded, resolve shinning in her eyes. "I'll beat Shishio, I promise! I won't let you down!"

 _…Everything will be all right._ Sakura smiled, comfort and peace settling over her. She returned her wand to its key pendant form and took the tray from Tōya. She said, "…Thanks, onii-chan." She turned to the shoji doors, about to open it with her foot. But before she did she turned her head to Tōya and smiled at him. "I'll see you soon!" Tōya nodded his head. *

 _With Kero-chan's death, I don't know how to use the Clow Book return home. Dad, Tōya onii-chan, Yukito-san, Tomoyo-chan, and all my friends… All this time I fought to see them again, my memories of them always in the back of my mind, giving me courage, but now… Now they'll never know what happened to me. They'll think I'm dead. They'll never know just how badly I wanted to see them again, how hard I worked. Now all my dreams and visions of me reuniting with them are all gone…_

Failing to hold back the sobs, Sakura fell to her knees. Bending over until her head nearly touched the sand, Sakura screamed. In the midst of her pain, a vision of the past came to her.

* With a heavy sigh, Kenshin crouched down in front of Sakura so his face was level with hers. He smiled a sad smile and whispered, "Sakura-chan… this one can't protect you from the world and its evil ways. If you follow this one, you'll only be facing the worst of it."

Sakura gripped her wand harder. "I know… Before I came in this era, I always thought the world was full of kind people, who tried their best even when things were tough. When I was stuck in that cabin I began to wonder if deep down all people were evil and enjoyed…" Sakura blinked several times. "…enjoyed hurting other people as it seemed they did to me… And I might have believed that for the rest of my life, if you hadn't saved me. You helped me believe again that there _is_ goodness in the world and even people who have made mistakes can move past them and hope for a better future."

Touched, Kenshin murmured, "You have been doing the same for this one, that you have..."

Determination seeped into her voice as Sakura continued, "If there are people in the world like you, then no one deep down is bad. The world isn't evil. So that's why I have to go with you. Just like you saved me when I was all alone, I won't ever leave your side and I'll always be there for you. I'll keeping on showing you that all people are good, including you! That way you won't become hitokiri Battōsai ever again…" smiled Sakura.

When Kenshin didn't respond, Sakura pleaded, "You promised we would be together forever, remember?" Hearing those words, Kenshin began to shake. Moved with sympathy, Sakura threw her tiny arms around Kenshin's neck. "No matter what happens, you are my nii-chan. I love you."

Kenshin gasped. Tears rolling down his face, Kenshin crushed Sakura to him. "This one loves you, _imōto_. Sister." *

At the memory, something came bubbling out of her chest. It arose from deep within her stomach, rising through her chest and out her lips. A laugh, harsh and grating, that was completely devoid of merriment that typically is associated with the noise. Sakura hadn't laughed in such a long time, she almost forget what it felt like. And now that she had begun, she couldn't see to make herself stop. _All those things I said… the world not being evil because Ken-nii was in it… now he's dead. Now what, Sakura?_ Sakura asked the younger version of herself in her memory. _Now what do you believe? Because it seems to me the world that Ken-nii tried to protect betrayed him after all he did for them. I said people can move beyond their mistakes, right? Well, does that even matter when they keep on making the same mistakes over and over again? I was just a, oh, what was the word? Ah, yes, naïve idiot._ The very notion, Sakura found, was hilarious. She laughed all the more harder, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Ahahaha… AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The wind, seemingly impartial to its master, carried Sakura's laughter to everyone's ears. The laughter itself was unnerving. But the sight of a young girl bent over the ground like a bug laughing and crying with a giant growing sphere of darkness above while a storm raged, bringing the end of the world… it was a picture of hell.

"What are you doing?" An officer snapped at a junior cadet, who cradled his gun to his chest like a baby blanket. "Shoot, you moron!"

The young man jerked in surprise. "Wha-" Then the wind knocked a hail the size of baseball into his jaw. He fell to the ground, knocked out cold… or dead.

"For the love of…" The officer yanked the gun out of the young man's grip and handed it to another military member. "All of you-!" Before he could continue, lightning struck the sea, causing boiling hot sea water to fly everywhere. Thunder followed immediately after the lightning blast. Over the sound of the earth rumbling, the officer raised his voice and ordered, "Shoot that girl! That witch is the cause of all of this. Kill her and we'll all be saved!"

 _I always said that there were no evil people, and that people only chose to do evil things. And I never understood why._

The light of hope was infectious and his orders passed down through the ranks quickly. Of course, a few soft hearted men hesitated; she appeared to some to be like their daughters who were around the same age. But their hesitation was short lived. She was undeniably the root cause of all this. If killing her meant stopping this madness and living to another day, well then, she would be riddled with bullet holes by the time they were done with her.

The officer raised his hand in the air. At the command, all of the militia and even some of Hōji's men trained their guns on Sakura. Aoshi and Sano stopped fighting Hōji's men and began to run towards her. But they were too far away. Misao riveted in place, too shocked to move.

Yahiko screamed, "Sakura!"

Pointing at Sakura, the officer screamed, "FIRE!"

 _Now I understand. People are evil._

Reaching her new realization, Sakura slowly stood up. A rainstorm of bullets shot their way towards Sakura's back. For a reason no one could understand, Sakura didn't turn to face her death, she didn't run, she didn't try to fight. She stood with her back to the military men, not moving a single millimeter.

 _They may try to be nice, but when it comes down to saving their life over another, they chose to save their own life._

Just seconds before the bullets would have torn through Sakura's body, the Nothing sucked up the metal nubs into its vast emptiness. It hadn't required a thought from Sakura. Not even a feeling-that was how little the amount of effort Sakura needed to exert to protect herself.

After having witnessed Sakura narrowly escaping a brush with the Grim Reaper, Hōji threw out his arms to the side and his head back and laughed. Like the ancient Roman emperor Nero who while Rome was burning played the violin, Hōji felt nothing but giddiness. "Yes, YES! This is far better than I could have possibly imagined! Yes, Cardcaptor scum, remake this world in Shishio-sama's image! Punish this foolish world for not worshiping him!"

 _They are selfish, greedy people who let fear rule their hearts, transforming them into monsters. Monsters who kill each other with pleasure._

However, everyone else gasped in horror. What matter of devilry did she use to live? Was she immortal?

"Mercy!" someone cried so loud that blood came out of their mouth. "Mercy!"

 _Why should I show them mercy now when they only care about themselves?_

Sakura lifted a hand towards the sea. Instead of the wind spiraling out of vortex above Sakura's head, they all rushed towards the sea. The wind was so forceful, men fell before its might like bowling pins. Misao tackled Yahiko to the ground. It took all of Sano's and Aoshi's willpower to remain upright. Like a plug pulled out of the bottom of the bathtub, the water of the sea receded from the beach.

 _No, I'll show them the same mercy they showed my brother, my sister, my love, and my best friend. The same mercy when they destroyed my way back home._

A large groaning and screeching noise spilt the air. The Rengoku, more than three fourths floating in the sea, began to move backwards, away from the beach. However, the waters were receding too fast for the massive ship to remain its buoyance on top of the waters. The bottom of the ship dashed against the rocks below the beach, ripping the ship alongside its underbelly. Still, Hōji laughed. Who had a need to bomb the city of Tokyo when he had a devil on his side who could control the world's magical balance?

 _The despair that you have given me, I'll return it a thousand fold._

"We have to kill her!" One military head cried. "Kill her, kill her!" This time everyone who had a gun unleashed all of their ammo at Sakura. A few bullets struck Sano and Aoshi before they hit the ground. Even civilians, who had no guns, took up all the rocks they could find and volleyed them at Sakura. But it was futile; the vortex and its winds sucked up all of them before they could graze her.

 _A world without my family, friends, and home… is a world without happiness._

Behind her in the far off distance, only visible through the lightning strikes, a ginormous curtain of water rose up towards the sky. Someone screamed, "TSUNAMI!"

There was nowhere to run.

Cursing violently, the head military leader threw his gun aside. He ran towards one of the loaded cannons that were meant for sinking the Rengoku. "Take this, devil!"

Her head unnaturally cocked to the side, Sakura slowly, ever so slowly, turned around. Her soaked clothes clung to her slight frame, torn in places. Blood covered her entire front and it dripped to the ground. Her arms hung at the side with her bloody fingers stuck in a permanent clawed position. Her eyes were like a doll's eyes: empty and completely devoid of emotion or life. Tears and blood ran down her face. She stretched her lips wide, before turning the corners of mouth up into a bone chilling smile.

"All cannons fire!"

 _And world filled with evil people… is a world that should be destroyed._

Cannons boomed louder than the thunder, rushing towards Sakura, as the water rushed towards the beach. Everyone's screams reached a high pitched fever.

But one voice, although whispered, Sakura heard louder than any other sound.

 _Sakura._

Sakura went rigid. _I know that voice._ Before her eyes, the world faded away, turning into an endless expanse of white. It was almost like Sakura had been using a powerful spell, entering the magic's world of darkness. Only this time, it was white, not black. Sakura looked around frantically, but she didn't see anyone apart from herself. All of the screaming hordes of people were gone, but… Sakura looked down at herself. Her clothes torn and wet with sweat and blood. She touched the blood gingerly. _Ken-nii's blood… My blood… Everyone else is gone, but I'm still the same._ Forlorn, Sakura looked up. _Where… where am I?_

 _A place where the laws of reality do not abide time is no object. You are in a place deep within your soul, a place where those who have a strong enough connection to you can appear._

Again Sakura stiffened upon hearing the voice. There was no way that they were here. It was impossible. Wasn't it…? Confused and afraid, Sakura slowly turned around to behold an imposing figure.

White robes adorned the figure, matching the man's long silvery hair. His fists at his sides were clenched so hard they were shaking. Two wings unfurled from his back and Sakura knew that she could no longer doubt who his identity was.

It was Yue. And Sakura had never seen him look more… _furious_.

Yue spoke in a calm voice that betrayed his stormy expression. "What in the world do you think you are doing? Letting your emotions and magic go on a rampage like this is shameful. If you continue on this path, you will upset the world's magical balance so much, the balance will never be able to be restored. Do you realize that your actions will destroy the world?"

Sakura asked in an awed whisper, "Y…Yue? What…? How…?"

Venom dribbling down his words, Yue hissed, "Do you understand?"

Sakura startled at Yue's forcefulness. "I…" _Destroy the world?_ old instincts asked of Sakura. _Why would I want…?_ Visions of everyone dying flooded her mind. Their blood soaking the air, the screams, the horror of watching a nightmare come true. Biting her lip, Sakura lowered her head, letting shadows cover her eyes. She gripped her upper arms with so much strength that they bruised.

A silence surrounded the two, until Sakura said quietly, "Yes. Yes, I do understand."

At Sakura's confession, Yue's eyes seemed to lose their hard edge. However, they returned tenfold as Yue continued his assault. He cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?" he said, almost mockingly. "So you wish to destroy the world the world that Clow Reed-sama wished to protect. A wish that, I had believed, you shared. But it seems I was mistaken. Then I shall revoke the role of Cardcaptor from you."

Sakura jerked back as though she had been slapped. "Wha… What?!"

Yue crossed his arms. "You did not officially become the Cardcaptor and inherit all of the Cardcaptor's abilities until you passed my test of judgment. However, if at any point a Cardcaptor does not work towards fulfilling her duties, then I may rescind my favor from you. You will no longer be the Cardcaptor. You won't be able to seal Clow Cards, let alone interact with them. Without the Clow Cards, you would be forced to only rely on the magic you have within you, which would severely cripple the number of works you can perform with magic. As such, you cannot influence the world's magical balance on a grand scale. Not only will you no longer see the Clow Cards, but also I, as a guardian of the cards, will never appear before you again. Are you prepared for this?"

Not be the Cardcaptor anymore? That just didn't seem possible. She had been capturing Clow Cards and overcoming impossible obstacles for so long, Sakura honestly couldn't remember what her life was like before taking on the role. Years of extending her greatest effort to be the best Cardcaptor, all the trust and bonds that had formed because she was the Cardcaptor… could she really throw that away? And how could Sakura be satisfied with living in a world where she was barred from meeting her friends the Clow Cards and Yue?

But how could she live in a world without Kero, Kaoru, Syaoran, and Kenshin? In a time period not her own?

Clamping her hands over her ears, Sakura shook her head and cried, "No, no, no! You don't understand. They-They killed them! They killed Kero-chan and Kaoru onee-san and Syaoran-kun and Ken-nii! Because of them, I don't know how to return home anymore! They… they deserve… A world filled with people like that deserves…"

Yue scoffed, "What people deserve doesn't matter in the slightest. By accepting the roll of Cardcaptor, you had agreed to protect the world. That is a role that lasts a lifetime, no matter what happens or what tragedies you must face."

"B-But…" Gulping, Sakura screwed her eyes shut. "How do I be a Cardcaptor without everyone…? I… can't do this on my own…"

"As demonstrated by the Nothing you created that is annihilating the world as we speak." Yue exhaled and shook his head mournfully. "It seems that there is no further need for discussion. By the powers vested in me by Clow Reed-sama, I shall pass my judgment on you again. The Cardcaptor has failed in her duty to maintain the magical balance of the world. Worst yet, she has created a new card and is using it for the purposes of decimating the people she is to protect." Yue walked menacingly towards Sakura, leering down at her. "You initially passed my judgment because you had shown me the courage and strength of your heart. Now, however," Yue decreed, "I have never seen a heart more weighed down by conflict and despair. I revoke my favor from you."

Frightened, Sakura tried to take a step back only to trip over her two feet. Gasping, Sakura glanced up at Yue. Yue extended his hand towards Sakura, his fingers splayed. His ice blue eye glared down at Sakura from behind his fingers. He condemned, "Your weak heart shall be your undoing."

Yue narrowed his eyes, and a blue light emitted from his hand. As though beckoned, Sakura's key pendant rose in the air, pulling Sakura's necklace taunt. She choked, "N-No…"

But what could Sakura do? How could anyone expect her to be the Cardcaptor without someone to guide her? Without any friend by her side? The world had killed her family, friends, and her love, and had robbed her of any chance to return home. In the cruelest way possible Sakura had learned a horrible truth: people were evil at heart, capable of crushing other's dearest hopes and dreams. A world like that deserved to be destroyed, and if Sakura had to lose the role of the Cardcaptor to do it, then so be it.

…Right?

Sakura mumbled, "I… I don't know…" Unbidden, tear a slipped down Sakura's face and hit the white space below her. Then another followed. And another. "What should I…?"

Yue grabbed the key pendant and pulled. It was the strangest, yet most painful feeling Sakura had ever experienced. It felt as though Yue was breaking the tie between her soul and her body. As though she was dying. _He's… taking my magic away from me…!_ Panic crept into the girl, seizing her with terror. _I should stop him, shouldn't I? But they deserve… I just want them to come back and…_

Yue yanked again. She could feel the necklace starting to give way. The effect was immediate, Sakura lost all of her vision and her lungs refused to take in another breath. Her twisted heart, begging for a release from its pain, screamed,

"What should I do?!"

"Don't give up! Da fight still rages on!"

Both Sakura and Yue froze at the voice. "What was…?" Yue started.

In an array of glowing lights, Kero appeared in the space between Sakura and Yue. Floating down gracefully, he landed on Yue's hand that covered Sakura's pendant. The sun guardian gently smiled at Sakura.

"Sakura, I just wanted you to know that no matter what happens, I believe in you. You will forever be the Cardcaptor to me."

Sakura's eyes widened even as they filled with tears. Touched, Sakura murmured, "Kero-chan…"

"W-What?" Yue hissed. "But she has betrayed us! She has-"

Without even acknowledging Yue, Kero continued, "Do you want to know why? It's because there has never been another person on this Earth who can compare to your strength. No matter what obstacle you have to overcome, you rose up to the occasion without fear or hesitation. No matter what the enemy, you won because of your perseverance and purity of heart. With your unrivaled power, you can achieve all your dreams."

"My dream…?" Sakura murmured. "But my dream is to be with all of you and you're… you're…"

"No, Sakura-chan, we are not dead."

Startled, Sakura looked up to see Kaoru standing behind Yue. Just as with Kero, no blood or disarray marred her figure. Yue gaped at her as she walked forward to his side, her smile only directed at Sakura.

"It is true that our bodies may have died. But our memories, our hopes, and dreams forever live on in you, Sakura-chan. The time we have spent together lives on in you in your memory. Our only hope is that you are happy. If you remember our words, our dream of you rising above your despair is possible."

Living on in Sakura? Everything seemed too impossible to be real. But when Sakura looked into Kaoru's eyes and saw such determination to convey her message to her, Sakura paused to let the words sink in. "But… even if you're in my heart, how can I move on?" Sakura demanded, screwing her eyes shut. "I can't live without all of you…"

"If you smile, then you shall discover happiness."

Gasping, Sakura opened her eyes to see Syaoran appear at Yue's other side. He stared at her calmly, as though appearing in other people's souls was something normal. The sight of Syaoran brought tears to her eyes. "S-S-Syaoran-kun…"

"Do you know why Tomoyo and everyone always say a smile suits you best? It's because when you smile, the happiness of your soul shines through any darkness. It encourages others when they are at their lowest, reminding them that they're always better tomorrow. So when you think you are too sad to smile, I'll smile for you in your heart, and that'll keep the sadness away. If you keep on smiling, then someday, you'll be happy again."

His eyes boring into Sakura's eyes, Syaoran asked, "Can you smile for me?"

 _Syaoran-kun is asking me to something for him…_ Sakura thought. A thousand and one reasons why Sakura shouldn't-couldn't-smile flashed across her mind in an instant. _But_ _is there any reason why I shouldn't do something for Syaoran-kun?_ Silence. Knowing what that meant, Sakura closed her eyes against the tears that were welling up. And although it was so hard, so, so hard, Sakura forced out, "I'll… I'll try."

Syaoran smiled warmly. "Good."

Confused, Yue stared at Sakura in surprise, his grip on Sakura's pendant loosening. "How can this be…?"

Sakura dipped her head, digging her chin into her collarbone. Her eyes became distant, searching for answer that was just out of her grip. "I am strong. Because of that strength, I am the Cardcaptor. I can be the Cardcaptor even though you're gone, because you live in my heart. If I smile, knowing that you are with me, I can be happy and rise above my despair. …That means the Nothing will disappear, right?"

Kero nodded his head. "It was born from your despair. If hope is within you, then the Nothing shall cease to be."

"…and the people who killed you won't be punished…" Sakura intoned, her eyes turning doll-like. "I've always believed that people are good at heart, but…" Sakura hugged herself, as though she was shivering cold. "I never imagined people could do such horrible things." She asked a question she felt she had asked a million times since traveling to the Meiji Era. "Why do people do evil things?"

"It is because they do not have hope," a voice said as a warm hand placed itself on Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura looked up to her left to see Kenshin standing over her. "Ken-nii!"

"If someone does not have hope, they do not believe in their ability to become a better person. One who can change the world and make the future can be bright. Without hope, they feel the need to inflict the despair they feel onto others. When all the while… all they need to see the light of hope again is for someone to believe in them, that they do."

Sakura listened to Kenshin with rapt attention, as though her life depended on his words. _Yes… if a person doesn't have hope or believe in their goodness, they despair and do evil._ A strange feeling began to fill Sakura at hearing the answer she had been so desperately seeking. Suddenly, she felt a thousand pounds lighter, as though she wouldn't have needed the Fly Clow Card in order to soar into the air.

Kenshin removed his hand from Sakura's shoulder. Falling back into a line with Yue, Syaoran, and the others, Kenshin explained, "Sakura-chan, this one's dearest sister, it is up to you to decide for yourself if people who do evil are irredeemable or if given enough hope they will change for the better. You must decide if you should regain your hope and believe in the goodness of humanity."

 _Believe in the goodness… of humanity…_ Sakura closed her eyes. If she followed down that path… Sakura felt like she was on the cusp of something huge. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sakura pushed past her anxiety and opened her eyes. "If I do as you say, then I would what about…?"

"Your family and friends back in the present? Don't worry about them, monster. We certainly aren't worried about you."

Something warm placed itself on Sakura's head and gave it a little shake, messing up her hair. Just as Sakura had done a million times, Sakura snatched the offending thing on her head and threw it off. Tilting her head back to see, Sakura vowed in a whisper, "One day, I'm gonna grow up so big, I'll stomp on you, onii-chan."

Tōya laughed, "Ha! You can try."

Sakura smiled through her tears pricking her eyes. "How you here-no, never mind. It doesn't matter. What were you going to tell me?"

"It's not what I was going to tell you, but what I've told everybody else. As you probably guessed, I'm not really here in this time, whenever it is. It's just our magic connecting to each other or whatever. It seems that while my magic may be here in this time **,** the rest of me is still in the present. I learned of what has happened to you from Misao-san and that old geezer. I've told everyone, Dad, Yukito, your friend Tomoyo and that other girl, Meiling, I think that's her name."

Gasping, Sakura turned around to face Tōya, her eyes widening with shock. Unbidden, a smile came to her face. "Then… then everyone doesn't think I'm dead? They know I'm alive? That I've been trying so hard to come back… _Yokatta_! _Yokatta_! Oh, thank goodness, I'm so happy…"

Kneeling down so the siblings' faces were even, Tōya became uncharacteristically serious. "Sakura, I don't know exactly what just happened, but we all want you to know something. While we all really want for you to come home, there's one thing we want more…" Tōya gripped both of Sakura's shoulders tightly, staring directly into her eyes. "…as you grow up, we want you to become someone we can be proud of."

"I… I…"

Yue shook his head. "I suppose I look like the bad guy in all this… again."

Yue let the pendant slip between his fingers, causing it to fall against Sakura's chest. Sakura looked down at it then back up at Yue in shock. "Wha… but you…?"

Sighing, Yue straightened. His perch gone, Kero flew up by Yue's right shoulder and smiled happily. Yue pointedly looked the other way. "The face of the matter is, if I revoke the role of Cardcaptor from you, there would no one who was strong enough to stop the Nothing from destroying the world. We…" Yue sighed and shook his head again. Then he faced Sakura head on. "The world needs you to be the Cardcaptor. We all need you to have hope again."

 _I want to…_ Sakura thought _, I want to be someone that my family and friends will be proud of. They don't want me to be lonely or sad or destroy the world…_ She made eye contact with each of her friends and family, who gave her encouraging nods and smiles. Sakura thought _…they want me to be filled with hope_. It was as though she was standing on a cliff, just waiting for the courage to jump off, to see if she would fall to her death or fly.

It was time.

Time to take a leap of faith and hope she could fly.

Syaoran stepped forward, offering something small and rectangular. "This is yours, right? I promised I would give it back to you."

Sakura accepted Syaoran's gift with the greatest of reverence. "Yes… thank you."

"I'm counting on you."

Tōya put his hands on his hips. He smirked down at her, "Think you can do it, monster?"

Sakura answered honestly, "I don't know…" Sakura took a deep breath, then held her fist out in front of her, the light returning to her eyes. "…but I'm going to try my absolute hardest!"

Sakura turned to the right, where nothing but an endless expanse of white existed. Shooting her hands forward, Sakura called, "The Nothing, come forth, as your master I call you!"

A dark nebulous appeared before them, composed of swirling darkness. The wailing of agony and misery could he heard as the void grew larger. From the deepest darkest pit, an image of a young girl with flowing long hair appeared. Her hair blew behind her around her head, although there was no wind. Her face was empty, just like the endless void behind her, but her eyes… her eyes portrayed the ending torment of her soul. It was an image Sakura was familiar with: she was the mirror image of Sakura when everyone she loved died.

"Why have you summoned me?" the Nothing asked. A chorus of a thousand wailing voices echoed her every word as she spoke.

Sakura met the Nothing's gaze evenly. "To… face you."

The Nothing slowly titled her head to the side, analyzing Sakura. "One conversation cannot change your heart's desire to destroy the world."

"Maybe…" Sakura admitted, "But as Ken-nii said, I just lost my way. I needed to be reminded that I am never alone. If I'm not alone, then their deaths… don't matter."

"Their deaths do not matter, you say?" The Nothing smiled, but there were maggots in her teeth. They arose from her hair and began to crawl over her face. "Nothing can erase the memories of their bloody deaths in your mind. It is etched on your soul. The despair of losing your family, friends, lover, and your way back home shall consume you the rest of your days." The Nothing tilted her head back, looking down her nose at Sakura.

"You cannot defeat me."

Sakura closed her eyes, clasping her hands by her heart. "Yes… I know I can't. I don't need to."

"W-What?!" The Nothing gasped, moving back.

Her eyes still closed, Sakura recited, "Courage isn't the absence of fear, but the facing of it." Sakura clenched her fists. She opened her eyes to reveal two burning infernos. "I will overcome you."

The Nothing chuckled, if one could say that the epitome of agony could laugh. "Only an ignorant child could think such a ridiculous statement. You do not understand that agony ensures that with every waking moment people will never forget their failures. The omnipresence of regret can tear up a man's insides. The crushing weight of guilt snaps the greatest of prides with the greatest of ease. The bitter thorns of anguish choke off any chance for happiness until nothing remains but an empty shell of a person. People live, hoping that death shall comfort them, only to find the greatest of all tortures await them in the afterlife." The Nothing raised her hand, gesturing to the void around her. "That… is your future. An endless darkness. There is nothing you can do but…" The Nothing smirked, her lips curling back to reveal more maggots. "…embrace it."

"No!" Sakura cried, stepping forward and throwing her hand to the side. "You're wrong. There is one strength that can surpass despair…" Sakura clutched her key shaped pendant. "…hope.

"The memories of everyone's deaths will haunt me forever, but so too will the memories of them wishing that I discover hope. Hope tells us there are no endings, only beginnings. Opportunities to become a better person and to give that hope away to others. If I can bring hope to others, then people can have faith in themselves, and share in the promise that a new beginning brings. I'll make mistakes, and miss these opportunities. During the rest of my life, I'll fall upon my face a dozen times, a hundred times, a million times. I'll wonder if this is all worth it, if giving up will end the pain. But if I have hope, then I'll have the determination to pick myself up off the ground, face forward with my chin held high, and move on. Hope will always remind me. That the pain of never giving up is nothing compared to the agony of knowing I failed. That there will always be a better, brighter future. That no matter how dark the world may become, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I only need to believe it is there."

As she spoke, Sakura lifted her hand palm upwards in front of her. The Nameless card floated above her hand, spinning. With each revolution, it spun faster until it became a blur.

"I, the Cardcaptor of Stars, can shine through any darkness."

Much to the Nothing's surprise, tendrils of her essence began to float outwards, towards Sakura's card. The card sucked the purple trails, disappearing with the card's spinning. The Nothing moved backwards, hissing, "T-This isn't possible… No one… no one is strong enough to face overwhelming despair!"

"With the stars as my guide, I can rise above my greatest fears and achieve the impossible!"

A spark of light appeared in the center of the card, glowing brightly, despite the clouds of darkness surrounding it. Tendrils of light flew outwards, enveloping Sakura. They brushed away the dirt, the sweat, and the blood that covered her, restoring her Cardcaptor dress in all its glory.

More of the Nothing's essence began to be pulled into the vacuum created by Sakura's card. Nothing below her shoulders remained. Holding her hands over her ears, the Nothing moaned in pain, "No… No…!"

The light cocooned the lower half of Sakura's body. Embracing her magic, Sakura closed her eyes, and held her pendant to her chest. In front of her, the card continued to spin, weaving hope out of despair. Wind blew torn through everyone present, whipping their hair and clothes, before it surrounded Sakura like a tornado. By an unseen power, Sakura was bodily lifted into the air.

"I…"

The key shaped pendant grew into a massive wand, the wand that normally only arises when both guardians surrender their magic to Sakura. Swinging the wand, Sakura opened her eyes, a light flashing from them. At her command the light enveloping Sakura rushed at the last of the Nothing's presence. It howled and wailed in torment.

"I WILL NEVER LOSE HOPE EVER AGAIN!

With gut wrenching screams, the Nothing's form vanished completely, absorbed by the Nameless card. And although the card continued to spin, if someone had glanced at the card, on the bottom it would have read "HOPE". Colors from the outside world began to sweep in, bleeding out the white. Sakura turned to face her family and friends. Tears sprung to her eyes as she saw them smile, nod, and wave at her. The thought of never seeing them again tore a hole into her heart, but she gripped the newly created card all the more firmly. Bursts of light spread out from the card, banishing the last of the soul world within her.

Screams pierced the air. Both Hōji's men and the military men cowered in fright. The smell of gunpowder and sea water was suffocating. The wind fled through the large crowds, pushing them to the ground. However, the sandy ground shook and buckled, rejecting those who crawled upon it. There was no sunlight; only darkness as dark clouds blanketed the sky, lighting flashing, thunder rumbling, the rain falling in sheets. But most ominous of all, the sign of everyone's doom, was the mile high tidal wave heading towards the beach.

Sakura had caused all of this-the mass hysteria and the natural disasters.

She titled her head down, shadows obscuring her eyes. Her mouth moving in almost a silent prayer, two words fell from her lips.

" _Mou ii_." Enough.

She was better than this. And these people, potential killers or not, did not deserve to die. No one did.

Sakura raised her hand, holding outwards the Hope card like a shield. Light again spilled forth, filling the area. On every person the light fell upon they felt a strange sense of peace, despite the end times approaching. Some stared at Sakura in open awe, others looked at each other, bewildered. Their fear was gone. And it was because… of the girl they tried to kill? The girl who had called for hell to be raised up? But fear or no fear, no one could take their eyes off the miracles she performed.

The Nothing's vortex that had materialized above her head, folded in itself like a crumpled up soda bottle, and disappeared. Wherever the light from Sakura's Hope card hit the ground, the sand ceased trembling. White pure light flew towards the sky, piercing the thunderstorm clouds. Like a warm smile, the sun broke through the clouds, brightening the world below. The lighting and thunder became more sporadic until they were mere flashes of light and rumbles in the distance. Even the rain slowly was reduced to a light drizzle and the wind submitted to being tamed.

However, the tsunami continued its charge. In a minute's time the waves would crash into the beach. Sakura calmly stared down at the waves. Inwardly she thought, _This tsunami is the waves of despair that shook me to the core when I watched everyone die. I'll carry it with me for the rest of my life… do I really have the strength to overcome it?_

Sakura looked down at the Hope card in her hand. With a great fondness, she remembered how her fingers had brushed Syaoran's fingers when he gave her the card. She had thought they would never see each other again, let alone touch or fulfill the promise they had made to each other. _But that's the crazy thing about hope, huh? You never really know what's going to happen in the future._ Closing her eyes, Sakura recalled Syaoran's words. _Can I overcome my despair?_ Sakura asked herself. _Yes…_ Bringing the card to her lips, Sakura imagined a face, and gently kissed the card. _…I can if I remember to smile…_

As soon as Sakura's lips touched the card, a wide beam of pure white light shot forth from the card. It traveled with such force that the mighty Rengoku shook as the light passed above it. Like a blazing meteor, the light slammed into the center of the waves. The light's diameter was no larger than the small card Sakura held in her hand but still it pierced through the waves.

With a great roar, the waves on the right side of the hole the light created fell away. The crest of the wave tipping over, it crashed into the ocean. Just after the first, the left side followed, bringing down its center. But the forward momentum still surged the waters forward towards the beach. The closer it came to the beach, the lower the waters became. Right before the waters crested the beach, the people screamed again. The waters crossed the sandy threshold, splashing over Hōji's men. They flooded towards Sakura. Sakura continued to stand stock still, not a hint of distress on her face. The wave stopped just before her feet. A spray of water covered Sakura, but still remained upright. The stinging cold water sent a shiver down Sakura's spine, and yet… the water was also refreshing…

Then with another low roar, the waters receded back into the ocean, their proper place. Everyone stared slack jawed at Sakura. Only a tiny light had pricked the waves, and still…

The mighty, ferocious tsunami had bowed at the feet of a little girl.

Someone began to laugh. It was a high, hysterical laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. Then it was followed by another and another. Then a cheer. And clapping. And shouts of praise as people fell to their knees. Grown men throw away their guns and openly wept as woman and children leapt up in joy. A colossal cheer rose up from the redeemed people, far louder than the roar of the waters. They had been spared.

It was a great day to be alive.

Sakura watched the jubilation from her isolated circle. No one approached her, no one thanked her, or noticed her at all. For the moment, Misao, Aoshi, Sano, and Yahiko were too busy picking up after themselves and attending their own injuries. _People can be selfish and unspeakably cruel to each other. But they can also lift a person's spirit up, restoring it. The difference… is the amount of hope they have about themselves and the world. And right now…_ Sakura looked on at the people celebrating and smiled. _…I have never seen people more filled with hope._

And yet, right before her lay the bruise, broken, and bloody bodies of Kero, Syaoran, and Kaoru. Kenshin was a few feet behind her. Completely forgotten.

Slowly titling her head back, Sakura let herself be soaked up by the sun. _I don't know how I'm going to make it in this time period without you all right at my side. I'll try my best to fulfill all of your dreams-I don't know Kamiya Kasshin-ryū or have a sakabatō, but I'll…_ A tear slipped down her cheek. _…I'll find a way so that when everyone looks at me they'll see each and every one of you smiling in my heart._

Much to Sakura's surprise, a light glowed directly beneath her. Confused, Sakura looked down to see light from the Hope card connected to the hole in her stomach. _Oh, that's right… I was shot along with Ken-nii…_ The bullet wound hadn't even caused her an inkling of pain. The extreme mental shock of watching her friends before her eyes had blocked out any physical pain Sakura had felt.

The light from the Hope card grew in intensity until it became blinding. "Aah!" Sakura cried, covering her eyes. When the light faded, Sakura removed her arms, blinking. There must have been something wrong with her eyes after that flash, or may the tears had distorted her vision because Sakura thought she saw Kero's, Syaoran's, and Kaoru's bodies move. The Hope card warmed, like the caress of hand.

Something shifted behind her. Still blinking the light out of her eyes, Sakura missed hearing the sound of someone standing. Convinced there was something wrong with her, Sakura shook her head and rubbed her closed eyelids with her wrists. Her eyes closed, she didn't get to witness that a couple of people on the ground were indeed moving. However, instead of treating her blinded eyes, rubbing her eyes only caused tears to well up. She brushed stray tears away. _No, no… I can't be sad… I'm supposed to smile because then everyone else will be smiling, too… I don't want them to be sad... I don't want them to be as sad as me…_

"Sakura-chan."

Sakura froze, her hands still by her eyes. No. It wasn't possible. It just wasn't possible.

"Sakura-chan," a voice said behind her, this time gentler.

Sakura's entire body trembled. She didn't want to entertain the creeping possibility that had entered her head. It would only lead to heart break. She didn't want to believe what was happening was real. Reality had already been twisted before her eyes with magic. She didn't want to breathe.

In case it spoiled the moment, the moment hope renewed her soul.

"Sakura-chan, you silly girl," a voice laughed. "It's all right. Everything will be-no,"

Slowly, ever so slowly Sakura turned around.

Kenshin stood before her. Blood still stained his clothes. A tiny ball of light lingered around the bullet hole in his chest. Despite his previous state, his skin glowed a healthy glow, his eyes danced with happiness, and his smile was one of contentment.

"No, everything _is_ all right."

Sakura's eyes became as big as saucers. A sob escaped from her, shaking her entire body. Before she knew what she was doing, she ran towards him. She jumped into the waiting arms of her brother, tears of euphoria trailing behind her. Laughing, Kenshin held onto Sakura and spun her around in a circle again and again, Sakura's feet sailing through the air.

 _This is it! I took a leap of faith over the cliff and I'm flying! Flying!_

 _Oh, how very, very good it is to be home._

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Kuji Kiri-Nine hand signals or seals that are made when a person in meditating and praying a sutra, reputedly believed to unlock spiritual powers.

Maa, maa-Now, now; used to calm people down (In Kenshin's case usually unsuccessfully :) )

Mou ii-Enough, that's enough

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Yokatta-Thank goodness; used to express happiness and relief

* * *

And they're all alive because of the healing power of hope! Aw, come on, you knew I couldn't kill them all off. Now you understand the line of "finding hope" in the summary of the story. It refers to this moment when Sakura must discover hope again in order to get past her despair of her family and friends dying and losing the path home. I wasn't trying to be cheesy! :) But actually, to be honest writing the despair half of this chapter was much, much easier than writing the hope half! I don't know what that says about me as a person… XD But waiting extra longer allowed to me add in Yue, meaning that I have covered every major aspect of the RK plot up to Shishio and everything in CCS.

This is the second to last chapter, so if you have any last thoughts, comments, or questions that you want to share now is the time to leave a review and let me know!

I have a lot of upcoming school work within the next week and this next chapter I'm guessing to be another 30 pages... I'll upload it when I can!

Hello, Kura! I'm sorry for the long wait (melts under death glare because of shame) but it allowed me to include Yue and fix the chapter's flow. I'm so glad to hear that I wrote the scene well enough for it to inspire emotions within you. I did it! Of course, our little Sakura-chan finds her hope again-she wouldn't be Sakura if she didn't! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for your review!

Hi, Halley Vanaria! Sorry for the long wait, but I was able to add in Yue because of it! Thank you for your patience and for the sweet encouragement! It means a lot to me! Thanks for the reviews!

Hello, Tom Reidem! Sorry for the long wait. Ah, so it's Tokyo Ghoul. I've heard of the name before, but I don't know anything about the series. So that's why I didn't understand your reference to them-sorry! Still I hope you enjoyed what you read and thank you for your review!

Next Chapter: All of the loose ends are tied up, but one pressing problem remains: how can Sakura, Kero, and Syaoran return home? And if they do… can they ever come back to the Meiji Era?

Thank you so much for sticking with me for so long. Let's see it through to the end!


	33. The Fate of Rurouni Cardcaptor!

I'm so sorry for the wait, everyone. I have life threatening food allergies and I had a allergic reaction and was sent to the hospital. I'm fine, but the medicine I take to help me recover really knocks me out. But enough about me-it's time for the last chapter of Ties Across Time! As the story starts to come to a close, I hope you enjoy this last bit of time we have together.

Disclaimer: As I have said all along, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Cardcaptor Sakura.

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

The Fate of Rurouni Cardcaptor!

Her head a maelstrom of thoughts, Sakura walked alongside the coast of Tokyo alone. At times her head weighed down and she could only watch at the waves lapping onto the shore beneath her feet. Other times, she looked up at the bright, clear blue sky that stretched onwards for miles. Most of the time, however, she simply kept her gaze forward, onto the path before her.

Her steps slowed as she reached the spot where she created the Nothing. With an expression that was impossible to read, she turned her head, sweeping her gaze over the area. The Rengoku, with its torn up underbelly, was still moored to the sand. However, all manner of weaponry were confiscated. On the ship's deck, Sakura could spy the figures of men guarding the ship, until the Meiji government discovered a way to repair the ship and use it for their own purposes. However, Sakura's eyes glazed over them, preferring solitude. Plus, she had cast the Illusion card beforehand to conceal her presence from outsiders. Aside from the Rengoku, only a few signs of the chaos and destruction Sakura had caused still remained. Most of hats or other small belongings of the people on the beach had since been swept away by the waters. However, deep gorges indented the sand, and there was a noticeable difference between the size and depth of the sand in this area compared to the beach surrounding it. While unnoticed by most people, as a magician Sakura could feel the heavy residue of magic saturating the air.

It was why she was here, after all.

Muttering spells under her breath, Sakura raised her arms out to the side, her clothes transforming into Cardcaptor dress. The same as a million times before, a magic circle glowed underneath her feet. The entire world darkened like it was waiting for baited breath as Sakura worked massive amounts of magic.

Although only a month had passed, it seemed like an eternity. An eternity's worth of memories replayed in her mind as she worked her magic.

Hōji, at first, could only gape at Sakura like the others while she calmed the storm and stopped the tsunami. Then he was enraged. No, stark raving mad. Globs of spit and foam flew from his mouth as he screamed, "No! What is this? You're supposed to destroy the world! Well, if you won't, I will!" Snarling, Hōji spun around on his heel. With a wave of his hand he ordered one of the men on the deck of the Rengoku. "Fire the cannons and destroy Tokyo! What are you waiting for? Do it now!"

The man scrambled below decks. However it wasn't long before the man returned, extremely flustered.

"What?!" Hōji growled. "What do you mean the cannons won't fire?"

Syaoran had picked himself up off the ground and overhead the conversation. A fierce pride shone in his eyes. "I did it…" he whispered.

Kero, in his beast form, nodded at Syaoran from his place besides the boy. "Yes, we did."

Syaoran jerked towards Kero. "What? Where did you…?" Syaoran looked down at his hand in amazement. "We're… alive?"

Kero laughed. "Yes, Sakura—"

"Kenshin! Sakura! _Minna_!"

Kaoru ran towards them with her arms wide open, pure elation on her face. Laughing, Syaoran and Kero meet Kaoru halfway. They laughed, hugged, and cried, before joining Kenshin and Sakura and the merry cycle repeated again.

Sakura crushed Syaoran into a hug so hard, that she was sure he couldn't breathe. "I'm so happy… You're all alive… But how?"

Syaoran released the hug and stared directly into Sakura's eyes. "I guess Hope is so strong, it can heal both the body and the soul."

Two massive paws grabbed Sakura and Syaoran from the side. Kero stood on his hind legs, leaning over Sakura and Syaoran as he hugged them. His head resting on their heads, Kero said, "That's right. In all of my years of living, I can't think of a stronger magic than Hope." Sakura and Syaoran smiled and chuckled.

"Kenshin…"

Kero released the two as the threesome watched Kenshin and Kaoru's exchange. Kaoru stood in front of Kenshin, her shaking fists balled by her side. "You… You… _baka_! How could you, how could you die just like that? When I saw them shoot you, I… I…" Kaoru's voice trembled. Kaoru lowered her head, her eyes hidden behind her bangs.

Kenshin gazed at Kaoru through his bangs. A sad smile was on his face. " _Gomenasai_ , Kaoru-dono. This one—"

Kaoru collapsed into Kenshin's arms, gripping his back with a death force. Her words mumbled by Kenshin's shoulder, Kaoru murmured, "You promised me that you wouldn't die..."

Shocked, Kenshin froze. Then he returned Kaoru's embrace just as fiercely. " _Gomenasai_. This one will fulfill his promise, that he will. Just please, don't ever die because of this one's mistakes…"

Kaoru gripped Kenshin tighter, burying her face deeper in Kenshin's shoulder. "But I have no life if you're not in it."

Kenshin's eyes widened. "K-Kaoru-dono…!"

Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero shared a glance. They smiled and chuckled.

"Arrest Hōji! Don't let him or any of his men get away!" Kenshin and Kaoru broke apart and looked up along with everyone else to see Saitō ordering the police. He pulled out a cigarette and causally lit it like there wasn't a problem in the world. When no one moved, Saitō barked at them, promptly spurring them to action. Saitō caught Kenshin's eye and smirked. However, there was little heart behind the action.

"You survived because of magic. I don't believe that counts towards our duel. Then again, the government backstabbing you and putting you in the position of being killed wasn't your fault. But ultimately…" Saitō took a long drag of his cigarette and then blew out the smoke between his lips. "…a person who would still carry a sakabatō after people unjustly tried to kill him isn't Battōsai." Saitō's eyes cut to Kenshin. "You still carry that backwards thing at your side?"

Kenshin blinked. Then a huge smile bloomed on his face. " _Hai_ , always!"

"Battōsai is dead. Then I, as the only survivor win by default." Saitō shook his head. He took the cigarette out of his mouth with a hand. His hand dropping by his side, he let the cigarette fall to the ground. "It is a dull victory." Without looking back, Saitō trudged forward, ordering his soldiers to arrest every last man under Hōji.

"Today, Shishio's regime has been toppled. And we have you to thank."

Everyone turned around to see Kawaji, the super intendent general who ordered Kenshin to kill Shishio. "It's good to see that those bullets must have missed anything vital. I'm glad you are able to stand on your feet."

Kenshin and Sakura shared a glance then shrugged. They both knew it was probably better not to explain magic to him and kept silence.

After falling in line with the group, Kawaji watched the Meiji officers, Sano, and Aoshi make quick work of detaining Hōji's men. "After that… display, no one will follow Hōji for fear of it reoccurring. Shishio's best soldiers are here in this group and will be put in jail in a matter of hours. It won't take long to track down the rest and give them their due punishment."

Kawaji turned his head slightly to look down at Sakura. "You…"

"Me?" Sakura asked, a jolt running through her.

"The person that Shishio spend so much time and effort searching for… is you, isn't it? You're the Cardcaptor."

Sakura felt her mouth grow dry. "I…"

His eyes narrowing, Kenshin stepped between Kawaji and Sakura. "If you think that after everything is over you can just—"

Putting his hands behind his back, Kawaji stared at the ocean. In a stiff voice that seemed like he was reading off of something, Kawaji pronounced, "To assist in terminating a threat, government officials asked a man by the name of Himura Kenshin to go to Kyoto. In accordance with Hōji's demands, a hitokiri named Battōsai was executed. The elusive and mysterious Cardcaptor's identity was never discovered."

"Oro?" Kenshin blinked.

"Hoe?" Sakura said.

Kawaji lifted his head to watch the sun break through the clouds. "Battōsai is dead. The Cardcaptor was never found." Turning to Sakura, Kenshin, and the others, Kawaji faintly smiled. "The people before me are Himura Kenshin and his younger sister. I trust that they are good people, who fight to protect others, not hurt them. It is we who have made the grave error of not seeing this earlier. The blame for this tragedy falls on us."

Syaoran's eyes widened. "Then you mean…?" he breathed.

Sakura recovered from her shock first. Squealing with joy, Sakura shook Kenshin's leg. "Didja hear that? Didja hear that? I told you! I told you! I told you a thousand times over that Battōsai didn't exist anymore and you didn't believe me and know everyone will think that and no one will think you're Battōsai again!"

For the longest moment, Kenshin stared at Kawaji, his eyes glazed over. Slowly, he rejoined reality again. He smiled down at Sakura, placing a hand on her head. "… _Hai_ , this one heard. And it seems that even in a small way, he was able to protect you from the government."

Sakura grinned back up at him. "That's right. Because we're Rurouni Cardcaptor!"

Kenshin chuckled, ruffling her hair. " _Hai_ , that we are, that we are."

Despite the disaster convincing Kawaji to pretend Battōsai was dead and to stop searching for Sakura, Sakura couldn't leave matters as they were. If she did, everyone would remember all the magic Sakura had used and the natural disasters that had almost occurred. It would cause a panic. So once Hōji and his men were all arrested and restrained, Sakura used the Erase card to erase everyone's memories. Kero reassured everyone that their memories of the events would remain mostly intact, and Kawaji would still stand by his word about Kenshin and Sakura. But their memories would be altered, the storm, the earthquake, and the tsunami's strength would be greatly downplayed.

Before everyone could return to the dojo, Sakura begged everyone to return to Kyoto. She desperately wanted to use her water and wood magic to reconstruct the half burned city. Kenshin, Kero, Syaoran, Kaoru, Sano, and Yahiko agreed wholeheartedly. Misao and Aoshi, of course, joined them in their journey as everyone returned to the Aoi-Ya. Every day for the next couple of weeks, Sakura, always accompanied by Kero, Kenshin, or Syaoran, traveled the city. Any last flames were extinguished, and piles of whole, unburned wood were left in secluded parts of the city, waiting to be used. Parts of buildings where the wood had burned away, Sakura restored. One day when Kenshin alone had accompanied her, Sakura let it slip that she believed restoring Kyoto was her repentance.

Kenshin stopped in his tracks. It took several moments before Sakura realized that she had left him behind. Confused, Sakura turned around to see Kenshin with his head bowed, and his fists clenched tightly at his sides. _Is he mad at me?_ Sakura wondered.

After a moment, Kenshin closed the distance between them with a few quick strides. He kneeled down to Sakura's height and looked her in the eyes. "These shoulders…" He placed his hands on Sakura's shoulders, giving them a little shake. "…are too young to carry such a big burden like this one's shoulders, that they are."

Sakura lowered her eyes. "But… I was going to…"

"Look at this one." When Sakura didn't move, Kenshin curled a finger under her chin and lifted it up. "Before any major damage had occurred, you stopped the disaster and infused within them great hope. Right now you're going above and beyond to help others. So please, don't think like that. That would mean that this one has failed in his duty as your older brother by being a bad example. And you've worked so hard to make this one see that one can move beyond their mistakes. The same goes for you, dear sister."

"Ken-nii…" Sakura murmured, touched.

Kenshin straightened and smiled down at her. "Because of you we have a chance to start our lives over again, that we do. Let's not waste is by dwelling on the past."

Sakura paused, staring at Kenshin as she let his words sink in. Then a crazy grin broke over her face. _I'm so happy to hear nii-chan say that…_ She grabbed Kenshin's hand. "Nope! It's because of _us_. We did it, together."

Kenshin chuckled. "Yes, you're right."

After their daily trip around the city, the pair returned to the Aoi-Ya. Just beyond the entrance, Aoshi stood, in the process of kicking off his footwear. He bowed slightly at Sakura, the Cardcaptor, and nodded at Kenshin. To Kenshin he said, "He should be here soon. He wanted to make a pit stop before coming here."

Kenshin answered, "Thank you, Aoshi." Aoshi merely turned away and disappeared inside the Aoi-Ya, not making a sound.

"Is that them?" Misao's voice asked from deeper inside. "Oh, great! Thanks, Aoshi!" Misao ran towards them, and ushered them inside. "Come on, I got tea ready for you."

When Kenshin and Sakura had settled in the kitchen and were sipping their tea, Kenshin declared, "So you've healed Aoshi's wounds from his battle with this one."

Sakura frowned. What made Kenshin say that? Then again, when Sakura replayed their meeting with Aoshi just now in her head, Aoshi moved with a grace unhindered by pain.

Misao froze in the act of in bringing a tea cup to her lips. A shadow of guilt flickered across her face before she sighed and returned the cup to the table. "Yes, I did. It wasn't right of me to accuse Aoshi-sama of being a demon and revoking the Okashira title from him." Misao closed her eyes. "That was just my lonely heart talking." Misao hung her head in shame as she continued, "And because I lashed out, Aoshi-sama faced all of Hōji's men on the beach without being healed first. He dove in without hesitation against the side he once supported… If Aoshi-sama died because of it, it would have been my fault. So whether I had Jiya's permission or not, I healed Aoshi-sama.

"But he's still as distant as ever." Misao sighed again, as she put her elbow on the table and rested her head on her palm. She gazed in the direction of the stairs leading up to the bedrooms where Aoshi presumably was. "All this time has passed, and he's still the cold, distant Aoshi-sama I've always known. No, he's even more withdrawn now that his comrades have died and he betrayed the Oniwabanshū."

Kenshin lowered his cup and smiled at Misao. "You healed his physical wounds with your Kuji Kiri…"

Misao returned Kenshin's smile with a grin. "…but know I need to heal his heart with a different kind of magic." Misao pounded the table with both hands. " _Yoshi_!" She planted her foot on the table and threw out her hand. "If it's the last thing I'll do, I'll make Aoshi-sama smile and laugh!"

"Aah!" cried Sakura. She whimpered, "Misao-san… you spilled tea all over me…"

"Ah! Oh, oh, I'm so sorry, Cardcaptor-sama! Here, let me help you…"

"I see my _baka deshi_ has found himself some equally stupid friends."

Everyone turned around to see a massive man standing in the entrance of the kitchen. "Grampa!" Sakura shouted with joy.

Hiko narrowed his eyes. "I heard about Shishio. But then, that shadow ninja said there was something even more important you had to tell me, Kenshin?"

The atmosphere immediately turned serious. Sakura stood up. "No, it's not him. It's me. I'll get everyone."

When everyone had gathered outside, Sakura turned to Hiko. "Prepare yourself." Chanting her spell, Sakura's key shaped pendant turned into her wand, and her kimono transformed into her Cardcaptor dress. Hiko gasped. But Sakura wasn't finished yet. She called upon Watery. A watery vortex appeared floating in the air in front of them. For a brief moment, everyone could glimpse Watery's true form in the vortex. Then Watery and its vortex disappeared. Everyone turned to Hiko to gauge his reaction.

Hiko gripped the hilt of his sword. After a long moment, Hiko spoke, each word tight. "What. The hell. Was that?"

"That…" Sakura intoned, her demeanor solemn. "…was magic."

Hiko watched Sakura, then he glanced at everyone else's faces. Sakura's deadly serious face was shared by everyone.

"It's a good thing I stopped to get more saké before coming here, isn't it?"

Everyone glanced at each other. They nodded.

* * *

Sighing heavily, Hiko leaned back. "Magic is real… People from the future… and beasts like that," Hiko nodded towards Kero who sat on the table, "exist." Hiko remained silent for a time before fixing his gaze at Kenshin. "When exactly did you learn that you can use magic?"

Sakura saw Kenshin stiffen slightly, but there was no hint of anxiety in his voice. "Before this one left for Kyoto to defeat Shishio. This one did not use magic in any of his fights before then."

"So you knew about your magic when you asked me about the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū ōgi."

"Yes," Kenshin said quietly. "This one knew. This one admits to using magic in conjunction with Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū moves when facing magicians. This one did not personally use magic when unleashing the secret against Shishio, but Sakura-chan did."

Sighing again, Hiko pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. Everyone waited for Hiko's judgment on the entire situation. At last, he spoke. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū should not be used with hocus pocus or whatever you want to call it." Kenshin nodded to himself, shame lurking in his eyes. "However…" Surprised, Kenshin raised his head. Hiko continued, "I do not know the situations you were in or the strength of these 'magicians' you faced. If using magic saved your life, then who am I to condemn you for using something I know nothing about?" Hiko shook his head. "It's not like you're becoming the next master of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū."

" _Shishō_ …" A slow smile grew on Kenshin's face. " _Hai_."

Sakura's gaze flickered between Hiko's and Kenshin's happy faces. If Hiko accepted Kenshin, then… Sakura placed her hands on the ground and leaned towards Hiko. "…Am I still your granddaughter?"

Hiko stared at Sakura, studying her intently. Then he smirked. "That depends. Are you still Kenshin's daughter?"

" _S_ - _Shishō_!" Kenshin spluttered, his entire face lighting up like a cherry.

"Wait, wait, wait," Sano interjected. "I never heard about this." Sano leaned in towards Kenshin and nudged his shoulder. "Sounds like a mighty fine story to me, eh, Missie?"

Kaoru, who sat on Kenshin's other side, sat fuming, glaring daggers at Kero. Kero rolled around on the table laughing hysterically. Syaoran and Yahiko shared a glance before chuckling. Aoshi raised an eyebrow while Misao joined Sano on pestering Kenshin.

Sakura felt a warmth spread throughout her, all the way to her toes. Elated, she smiled brightly at Hiko. "Yes. Yes I am!"

* * *

The memories stopped their replay in Sakura's mind as she opened her eyes. She remained standing on the beach, working her magic. She let the flow of the magic speak to her, telling her the state of magic from the four corners of the Earth. _There's not a lot of magic over Africa… so let's see if I bring some down from England, and…_ By creating the Nothing, Sakura gathered much of the world's magic over Japan. To negate the world's unbalance, Sakura sent out large amounts of magic from Japan, assisting magic's natural diffusion across the world. It would take decades before the balance would be restored, but that didn't stop Sakura from trying to correct her mistakes. She promised Kero and Yue that she would be the best Cardcaptor she could be, after all.

Sensing a presence behind her, Sakura cast Illusion on them before returning to her spell. After another hour, Sakura finally lowered her arms. The wand reverted back to a pendant and her kimono replaced her dress. Without turning around, Sakura asked, "Is there something you need, Kero-chan?"

Kero flew towards Sakura until he was even with her. He joined her in gazing out at the ocean sparkling in the sun. They two remained silent; they simply enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the moment. Eventually, Kero said, "You know, I'm sure Clow Reed-sama knew what the disaster was." Without looking at him, Sakura intently listened to Kero. "After he created the Clow Cards, he used them ta predict who should inherit them. When he discovered ya, he was overjoyed. But then… he stumbled upon what he called da 'disaster'. The disaster 'that would end the world'. However, he never told me and Yue what the disaster was. He only ordered us ta always be by the Cardcaptor's side. I thought it was strange that he never told us what the disaster was, but now I think I know why." Kero met Sakura's eyes. "If we knew ya were the source of the disaster, we would have never let ya be the Cardcaptor."

Sakura turned away, her eyes on the ground. She clutched the key pendant and murmured, "I see…"

Kero added in a bright tone, "But I know Clow Reed-sama made the right decision by not telling us." He turned to face the ocean. "Because he knew that if we formed our friendships with you without fear of the disaster, then we would have always believed in yer strength."

"K-Kero-chan…"

"And that means Clow Reed-sama did, too. He knew that you were such a kind hearted person that ya would be able ta make friends even in a different time period. And that these friendships would be so strong they would help ya rise above yer darkest despair." Kero smiled at Sakura. "Isn't that right?"

Sakura nodded. "Right!"

Kero chuckled. Then his demeanor became much more serious. "We've accomplished what we were sent here for."

Knowing what Kero was hinting at, Sakura hung her head. "Yes… I know."

"Smile, Sakura," Kero consoled. "Our message of hope we told ya in yer soul still ring true now and forever."

"…Mmn…"

And yet why couldn't Sakura shake the feeling that this was in some ways worse than all of them dying?

" _Oi_! You guys done down there?"

Sakura and Kero turned around to see Sano standing on a rise in the far distance waving his hand overhead. Behind him were the forms of Kenshin, Syaoran, Kaoru, and Yahiko. Kero shook his head. "Ugh, he's attracting the attention of all the guards. And all because he's probably just hungry."

Sano cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "If you're done let's go back and eat some fish!"

Sakura laughed. "Looks like you're right!"

"I'm always right," Kero scoffed. "Come on, let's go," said Kero, flying towards them. "They're waiting for us."

Sakura smiled. "I'm right behind you."

* * *

As everyone approached the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū dojo, Sakura slowed her steps. As though in sync to Sakura, Syaoran and Kero also slowed down, keeping in line with her. Sano took the lead, stretching his arms above his head. "Man, it is good to be finally back in Tokyo. With no evil magic waiting for us just around the corner we can just kick back and relax and stuff our faces until we're full."

"Yeah, one thing's for sure," Yahiko chimed in, " _Busu_ isn't cooking tonight."

"I heard that!" Kaoru cried, smacking the back of Yahiko's head.

Kenshin chuckled, but he stopped when he noticed Sakura wasn't by his side. He turned slightly to face her. "Something wrong, Sakura-chan? Li-kun?"

Sakura met their gazes before she lowered her head. After a moment, Sakura admitted, "I've been here for seven months, but it feels like I've been in the Meiji era all my life. I have a family and friends here and a home that I love. I feel like…" Sakura lifted her head and smiled at all of them, despite the burning sensation in her eyes. "I feel like I could keep on living here forever. And I want to… but we can't." Sakura said in a choked whisper.

At Sakura's words, everyone had stopped walking towards the dojo to face Sakura. Stepping forward, Kaoru insisted, "But you can stay here! For as long as you want! That's… that's what I told you when we first met, remember?"

Sakura and Syaoran shared a glance. Sighing heavily, Sakura shook her head. Turning back to others, Syaoran said, "Sakura's right. We can't stay here. There are so many waiting for us to go back to our other home. I understand the pain of losing someone important to you, and I don't want them to feel that pain any longer."

Upset, but trying not to hide it, Sano reluctantly nodded his head several times. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned away. Yahiko, however, pleaded, "But so soon? Can't you stay the night or something? We could stay up all night and do something really fun together…"

Sakura smiled apologetically. "I'm really sorry, Yahiko-kun. I really am. But if we stay the night, I'm afraid… I'm afraid I won't ever leave."

Kaoru put a hand to her heart, keeping her eyes downcast. "Yes, the longer they wait, the harder it will be to say…" Kaoru's words trailed off, but her unspoken word hung heavy in the air.

No one wanted to say good-bye.

"But how are you going to return to the future?" Kenshin asked.

Kero leapt up to explain, "Oh, we'll just use da Clow Book and…" He froze. "Oh, candy corn," he cursed. "We forgot da Clow Book in Kyoto."

"What?!" Everyone cried in disbelief.

Kero put a paw behind his head. "Y-Yeah, well… with everything that had been going on, we were all distracted… And besides! None of you remembered either!"

Kaoru glanced at everyone's faces as she asked, "So what do we do now? Go back to Kyoto or…"

"What's that?"

Everyone turned around to see Sano pointing at an object next to the dojo entrance. Recognizing it, Sakura's face features lit up. She ran up to it, jumping the engawa in a bound, and scooped up the object in her hands. Everyone crowded around her as Sakura examined the object.

It was the Clow Book.

Sakura rubbed a hand over the cover, greeting a lost friend. Spying a corner of something white sticking out of the pages, Sakura opened the book. A note written in neat handwriting said, "My journey to find my truth starts now. This is my good deed for today. –S"

Reading the note, tears welled up in Sakura's eyes. _Sōjirō-san…_ Looking up at the shinning sun, Sakura prayed her thoughts would reach Sōjirō. _I believe in you._

"That's the…" Yahiko started, his face falling.

Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero turned to face everyone else. Sakura nodded as she clutched the Clow Book to her chest. "Yes, it's the Clow Book. And that means… it's time for us to go back to our time."

The air immediately grew to weigh a thousand pounds. When the silence became too much to bear, Sakura called upon a Clow Card. "Create!"

In Sakura's waiting hands, a large, long object slowly materialized. Sano gasped when he saw a zanbatō come to life through Sakura's magic. "Oof!" Sakura cried. "It's really heavy." Trying to smile brightly, Sakura attempted to lift the zanbatō up to offer it to Sano. "Here's a replacement zanbatō for the one of yours I broke. Create always makes perfect copies of whatever I want, but it adds swirly eyes. And I don't know if this will last once I go back—"

Sano crushed Sakura in a bear hug, causing Sakura to drop the zanbatō to the ground. "I'm gonna kidnap you and steal you away where no one can find you."

" _Hoe_?!"

"Then I'll teach you about all different kinds of weapons so that you can create them and we can have an army of zanbatō weapons and different kinds of weapons and everything will be great."

"I'm sorry. I would love to, but…" Sakura rubbed Sano's back. "I can't."

After a long moment, Sano said in a low, husky voice, "I know." He released Sakura. His hair was more disorganized than usual and were his eyes a little red? "I'll treasure this gift from you like it was my life. I'll use it to kick a lot of bad guys' asses for ya. And even if it doesn't exist after you go back, just knowing you gave me a gift is all that matters."

"Sanosuke-san…"

Sano nodded at Sakura, then turned to Syaoran. A grin on his face, Sano clamped an arm around Syaoran's neck and gave him a wicked noogie. "Now you listen up, Li. You gotta protect your girl, you hear me? That's what a man does."

"I will," Syaoran agreed. A smile was on his face, but it looked a little forced. "Thank you for everything, Sanosuke-san."

Sano released Syaoran and the younger boy turned around to look at Yahiko. Yahiko lowered his head, shadows covering his eyes. "Li, do you remember my challenge I said to you after we defeated Watery on the ship to Kyoto?"

"You mean the one about you mastering Kamiya Kasshin-ryū before I mastered my magic? Of course I remember it," Syaoran replied.

"Well, after all that's happened, it seems you've beaten me."

No one spoke a word. Then Syaoran chuckled. He whipped out his magical sword and thrusted it at Yahiko. "What are you talking about? I haven't mastered anything. No one has even seen half of what I'm capable of! I'm going to grow up to be the next best magician after Sakura and then I'm going to come back here and challenge you to a duel! We'll see who has beaten who then!"

Yahiko openly marveled at Syaoran, his mouth partly open. Then he rubbed his index finger under his nose and smirked, "And, what, you're going to use lighting magic like you did the first time? Hmph," Yahiko scoffed. "I still haven't gotten you back for that." Lowering his hand, he said quietly, "I'll guess it'll have to wait until next time."

"Yeah…" Syaoran whispered, staring in Yahiko's eyes. "Next time."

Syaoran offered his hand. After a pause, Yahiko shook Syaoran's hand.

Yahiko grinned, "I'll master Kamiya Kasshin-ryū before you know it and then I'll kick your a—"

Unable to wait any longer, Sakura glomped Yahiko, wrapping her arms around Yahiko so tightly, he couldn't breathe. "I'm going to miss you so much, and we had so much fun together, and if you ever want me to teach you cheerleading again just ask—"

"NO!" Yahiko shoved Sakura off of him with a huff. At Sakura's slightly hurt expression, Yahiko huffed, and pointedly refused to look at Sakura. Then he said, "Listen up, Sakura. You got the hardest job in the world and you're doing great. So keep your chin up and be proud."

Sakura clasped her hands by her heart and smiled at Yahiko. "Thank you, Yahiko."

"Yahiko," Kaoru admonished; however, there was a notable lack of harshness in her tone. "Don't be so rough with Sakura-chan. Especially now, when they're…" Kaoru cut herself off with a shake of her head.

Flying over to Kaoru, Kero said, "Have ya given any thought about yer magic?"

"Huh?" Kaoru blinked.

"It's our fault that yer magic was awakened. We draw the magic out of ya guys. So when we leave, yer magic will weaken unless ya train it. Are ya? Yer future predicting magic is so strong, it'll be a waste not to hone it."

"Train… my magic?" Kaoru closed her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath before opening her eyes and staring Kero down. "I will do no such thing. The future is not mine to predict or claim ownership over. I want to live my life normally, without the burden of knowing what the future is. No," Kaoru corrected herself with a shake of her head. "I already know my future."

"Ya do?" Kero asked, impressed.

Kaoru clenched "My future is a future that I will create with my own two hands, not something I will create with magic. I do not need, nor do I want, magic."

Kero raised his paws in the air and shrugged. "Well, as a guardian made from magic, I can't say I understand ya, but it's yer decision. If you don't practice it, yer magic will probably just dwindle inta a really good intuition."

"That's more than enough." Then Kaoru smiled, "I'm going to miss you making a mess of my dojo."

"Well, I ain't gonna miss you kicking me over the dojo wall, that's fer sure." Kero retorted.

"Annoying pest."

" _Busu_."

Shaking her head, Kaoru said, "I'll let you off the hook this time, but next time you'll get a beating."

Bending over so she was closer to their height, Kaoru gestured to Sakura and Syaoran. When they were close enough, Kaoru held both of their hands. Syaoran blushed, but he didn't protest. Kaoru looked both of them in the eyes before saying, "I want you to always remember that this dojo is your home. No matter how many years separate us."

Syaoran smiled at Kaoru. "Thank you, Kaoru-san, for everything you've done for us. We put you through so much."

"Yeah," Sakura added. "If we didn't meet you, Ken-nii, Kero-chan, and I would still have been traveling Japan, and Syaoran-kun might not have found us."

Kaoru laughed, "Well, that's what family is for."

Sakura gasped. Although Sakura had called Kaoru her older sister from the beginning, Kaoru had never reciprocated the feeling. Perhaps she had been too afraid to form such a strong relationship with someone who would be leaving soon, but now… "Thank you, onee-san…" Sakura beamed.

Kaoru squeezed Sakura's hand in return. Kaoru opened her mouth to reply, but Syaoran cut her off. His eyes burned with intensity as he asked, "Are you ever going to let him go?"

Kaoru's brows knotted in confusion. Then like a sun breaking through the clouds, Kaoru smiled. "You mean what I said about chasing after Kenshin in Kyoto?" Her cheeks tinted red, but she chuckled. "No, I won't."

Syaoran nodded, a smile on his face. "Good. And I won't let anyone feel the pain of separation from their loved ones again."

"I know you won't."

Wrapping Syaoran and Sakura into a hug, Kaoru pleaded, "Please, be happy. If the two of you don't take away anything else from your time here in the Meiji, then please just be happy."

Kaoru released the two of them, then stood, wiping her eyes. Sakura turned to face Kenshin, the only one left. He hung back, away from everyone else. With his head hanging dejectedly, Sakura couldn't read his eyes. However, judging by his trembling fists and the hard set of his jaw, he was hurting. Seeing him in such a state left Sakura holding back her own tears. Slowly, she walked up to him. When she was directly below him, Sakura tilted her head back and asked, "Nii-chan…?"

"This one…" Kenshin said in a hoarse whisper. "This one always knew this day was coming. He had sworn to bring you home, but he never wanted… he never wanted you to leave."

Kero crossed his arms. "Time flies when yer having fun, huh? Thanks fer all the laughs, red head."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "You mean at this one's expense?"

"Well, of course. That's how I roll. But on a more serious note," Kero said, his demeanor becoming more grave. "I owe ya a debt I can never repay for ya taking care of Sakura. Name it, and I'll do it."

"Anything?" Kenshin muttered. "Then this one can only think of one thing… for the rest of her life keep Sakura-chan smiling."

Kero chuckled, "How did I know that ya were going ta say that? I guess that's why I like ya. Yer all right, Kenshin. Yer all right. Consider it done."

"Thank you, Kero. You've been a good friend to this one."

Kenshin inhaled, psyching himself up, then he reached into his bag of personal items from Kyoto. "Li-kun." Puzzled, Syaoran stepped forward. From his bag, Kenshin pulled out a rectangular wrapped gift. "Inside you'll find a pair of this one's old gi and hakama he wore when he was training with _Shishō_. This one retrieved it when he stayed at _Shishō_ 's cabin. Before we left, this one washed and mended it, but it's still pretty old, so take care of it, please. This one thought you could use it for when you train your martial arts. After all," Kenshin winked, "this one knows you're quite capable in that regard, that you are."

At the memory of Syaoran kicking Kenshin in the stomach, Syaoran flushed. He fiddled with the wrapping and mumbled an apology.

Kenshin smiled sadly at Syaoran as he added, "This one knows it won't ever be as precious to you as your Chinese magical combat outfit, but he hopes this will at least remind you of the time you spent here."

Syaoran's face lit up when he accepted the gift from Kenshin. "I… Thank you." In disbelief, Syaoran shook his head slightly. "You don't know how much this means to me…" His eyes screwed shut, Syaoran clutched the wrapped outfit to his chest. "I never had an older brother before."

"Li-kun?" Kenshin said in surprise.

Syaoran flung himself at Kenshin, wrapping his arms around him. His choked words muffled by Kenshin's midsection, Syaoran said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. I wish I, I wish I realized how important to me you were before… before we had to go. You've helped me so much, I wouldn't have made it this far without you. "

Kenshin laughed quietly before he returned Syaoran's hug. "This one just gave you an encouraging word and a little guidance, that he did. You were the one who had the strength to protect others. And that strength came from within you, believe in it. Don't doubt yourself or let past regrets hold you down." Swallowing, Syaoran nodded.

"And most importantly…" Kenshin released the hug and kneeled down to Syaoran's height to stare directly into his eyes. "You recognize there are moments in which you cannot protect everyone. In that light, what's more important that protecting others?"

Syaoran frowned, attempting to deduce the answer. His eyes became distant with memory for a time, before he returned Kenshin's gaze and dipped his head.

"Making memories with them."

Smiling, Kenshin clasped Syaoran's shoulder, "That's it, Li-kun."

"No," Syaoran corrected with a shake of his head. "It's Syaoran. Call me Syaoran …Kenshin. My stupid older brother."

Kenshin smiled, tears welling up in his eyes. " _Hai_ … Syaoran. _Otōto._ "

Sakura tried to watch the exchange between the two, but her vision was obscured by tears. _I can't believe this… I've waited for so long for the two of them to get along, with them doing nothing but fight each other since they met, but I never thought… I never thought they would consider each other family! I'm so happy…_

"Sakura-chan."

Jerking at the sound of her name, Sakura frantically looked around to see who had called her. Kenshin, who was kneeling in front of her, chuckled. He gently reached for her hands and enveloped them in his much larger hands. Stroking a thumb across the back of Sakura's hand, Kenshin sadly smiled up at Sakura. "You have been by this one's side since the beginning—for two months before he arrived in Tokyo and met everyone at the dojo. And not a day has passed since then that you haven't brighten up this one's life. This one was just a wandering corpse, waiting for the moment when his body would die like his soul already had. But then you smiled at me. You smiled when you first met this one despite your black eye and the bruises the people of his hometown had given you. That first smile has stuck with me ever since, because it reflected the image of a strong little girl, who could still find happiness and hope in the midst of darkness and evil. Little did this one know that such hope would literally save his life."

Sakura blinked, "Huh?"

"In the fight against Shishio, Shishio infected this one with a bit of his magic, fueled by his hate. Shishio's hate festered within this one long after Shishio's death, and it would have killed this one as well. As Kero said, this one's acceptance of the inevitability of violence in the world was too similar to Shishio's beliefs. But when this one died at the beach, and consequentially revived, Shishio's magic vanished. Do you know why?"

Still unsure of what Kenshin was driving at, Sakura shook her head.

"It's because you have restored this one's faith in humanity, that you have. Because you found hope in the darkest pitch of the night, this one can as well. Your hope healed not only this one's body, but also his soul, erasing the Shishio's magic forever. Because you found the courage to be willing to live a life without your loved ones, this one can also be have courage. Courage to… send you back to your time."

Unable to hold herself back anymore, Sakura tackled Kenshin in a bear hug. She clung onto him as though her life depended on it. "You've helped me so much, too," she choked. "I've never felt alone because you were always by my side."

Burying her face into Kenshin's shoulder, Sakura murmured, "I don't wanna go… I don't wanna go… I want to stay here and watch you and Kaoru onee-san get married and have kids and help Yahiko master Kamiya Kasshin-ryū and make weapons with Sanosuke-san and have fun with Misao-san and Aoshi-san…"

Getting equally choked up as Sakura, Kenshin managed to whisper, "This one… this one wants you here as well. But you and Syaoran have family waiting for you, that you do. But so that you will always remember us…" Kenshin released their embrace. From his gi, Kenshin pulled out a tattered indigo ribbon.

Seeing the ribbon, Kaoru gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "What…? You found that? After you threw it away?!"

Kenshin apologized, " _Gomenasai_. This one was, er, caught up in the moment. But you don't mind this one giving this away, do you?"

Kaoru fought against a sob. Her hands still covering her mouth, Kaoru shook her head.

"What?" Sakura asked, curious. "What it is?"

"This," Kenshin explained as he tied it around Sakura's key pendant, "is a ribbon that means a lot to Kaoru-dono and this one. It's a symbol of our relationship. But now this one—no. All of us from the Meiji want to give you this ribbon to symbolize our relationship." Kenshin lifted up the pendant for Sakura to see. "So that whenever you are alone and you miss us, finger this ribbon, and all our love for you will come through to you."

Tears streamed down Sakura's face, like twin waterfalls. Her body trembled as she hiccupped, "N-Nii-chan… I… I love you…"

Gingerly, Kenshin kissed Sakura's forehead. "This one loves you, too, his precious sister. This one will never forget you, that he will not."

Sakura nodded, too overcome with emotion to speak. With one last squeeze of her hands, Kenshin let Sakura go. She turned around, catching Syaoran's and Kero's eyes.

It was time to return home.

Stepping away from the dojo, Sakura lifted the Clow Book into the air. Syaoran and Kero stood on both of her sides. Syaoran pointed his magical sword at the Clow Book, lending his magic to Sakura, while Kero transformed into his true form. As Sakura chanted the releasing spell, her key shaped pendant grew into a wand. Kenshin's ribbon was still tied in a bow beneath the wand's head. Sakura called upon two cards, Hope and Time, which spun midair on either side of the Clow Book. The world turned to black, the magic circle beneath the trio offering the only light in the darkness.

 _I have changed so much in all the time I have spent in the Meiji, but I have to return home. Using Hope card to power the Time card and the Clow Book as an anchor, I must go back to the future. I hope that I will be able to meet with my family and friends of the present again, to dry their tears, and let them know that I am all right. I hope that, even if may never see them again, that all the loved ones here will life happy lives, staying true to the wonderful people I know them as. But most of all, I hope…_ Sakura's concentration wavered, causing the magic circle's light to flicker. _I hope that I will… that my future will be…_

Tears brimming in eyes, Sakura lowered the wand slightly. _How can I be happy without seeing my family here in Meiji? How can my future be happy?_

Confused, Syaoran turned to Sakura. "Are you all right?"

 _Syaoran-kun?_ The Hope card radiated warm at Sakura's thoughts of Syaoran. _Oh, yes, that's right…_ Sakura thought with a smile. _I have to fulfill my promise._

Sakura glanced at Kero. He nodded.

Her bangs covering her eyes, Sakura slowly lowered the wand until it hit the ground. Her magic spell ceased. Thrown in a panic, Syaoran asked, "Sakura, what's wrong? Are you okay? Are you in pain or—"

Syaoran froze in place as Sakura closed the distance between the two of them. "Syaoran…" Her breath warm and light, Sakura whispered into Syaoran's ear. "I love you."

At Sakura's declaration, Syaoran's eyes widened and he sucked in a deep breath. Hope rushed within him, his hope fueling Sakura's time traveling magic.

 _I can have hope in my bright future with Syaoran._

In a flash of blue light from the Clow Book, everything vanished.

* * *

Breathing deeply, Tōya crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back against a pillar of Tokyo Tower.

"Hey, Tomoyo-chan. Do you think they'll come today? The cake I made for Syaoran is really good today."

"They just might, Meiling-chan! And Syaoran-kun will be so surprised to learn that your cooking has improved so much!"

"Heh. Well, nothing can stop me!"

To Tōya's right, Yukito chuckled. He caught Tōya and smiled. These two would never give up, would they? Tōya shook his head and rolled his eyes, only causing Yukito to laugh more. Mr. Kinomoto stood above them all, gazing over the area with an unreadable expression on his face.

For several months, Tōya, Yukito, Tomoyo, and Meiling took turns watching over Tokyo Tower, the place where Sakura and Syaoran had went missing, to wait for Sakura and Syaoran's return. Sakura and Tōya's father often had work, but he joined them whenever he could. However, ever since Tōya spoke with Sakura about overcoming her despair about her friends' deaths, Tōya and the others waited at Tokyo Tower together every single day. Although everyone else had feared that Sakura would be alone in the past, Tōya knew better. Tōya gazed up at the near cloudless sky, as though he could see into the past. Before he was sucked back into the present, Tōya had felt Sakura's Hope magic. Her magic was so powerful… so overwhelming, Tōya couldn't help but trust in his little sister. She wouldn't be alone; she'd find a way, Tōya knew it.

It was only a matter of time.

Someone gasped, horror stricken.

Tōya jerked up from his seat to see a blast of light in the center of the courtyard, some distance away. Balls of light descended from the sky, until they formed three shapes near the ground. In a twinkle of rainbow colored light, a young man and woman appeared, accompanied by a strange yellow beast. The young woman and man were hugging each other tightly. After a long moment, they released each other. The woman wiped at her eyes, upset. The young man laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Unable to believe his eyes, Tōya slowly stood up. "S…Sakura?" he asked in a hushed awe.

The young woman turned around to face him, her bright green eyes curious. Then they froze with recognition.

 _It is! I can't believe it!_ "S…" Tōya ran full tilt towards the trio, yelling, "SAKURA!"

She turned to behold all of her dearest friends and family running towards her.

Sakura smiled.

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Busu-Ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Gi-Japanese shirt that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. It generally has billowing loose long sleeves and has a large "v neck" of sorts in the front. Because of this collar some people wear something underneath the gi to cover the chest.

Gomenasai-Sorry, I'm sorry; a slightly formal apology used only with friends and family

Hai-Yes

Hakama-Japanese loose pants that samurai wore. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru (when teaching at the dojo) all wear it. Hakama have ties at the waist that are tied and act like a modern belt. To the sides there are large triangle shaped holes that show the gi underneath.

Imōto-Younger sister. Imōto is never used with the honorific chan unless it is meant sarcastically. Using chan with imōto is the equivalent of belittling one's younger sister by calling them little.

Nii-chan-older brother; can also say onii-san, which is more formal. Ken-nii is another way of Sakura calling Kenshin her older brother. I generally only have Sakura refer to Kenshin without the formal "o" of "onii" and the "chan" honorific instead of the "san" honorific because she feels very close to Kenshin.

Ōgi-The ultimate secret or best move of a sword style

Oi-Hey

Onee-san-Older sister; the "o" attached to "nee" signals formality as well as the "san" honorific. Sakura refers to Kaoru in a more formal way because she doesn't know Kaoru as well.

Oro/ororo-Kenshin's unique pronunciation of the Japanese word, " _ara_ " which means huh. Kenshin uses the word liberally and in situations that "huh" doesn't always make perfect sense. Along with "this one" and "that it is", oro is Kenshin's trademark. He drops all of these when stressed or closer to becoming how he acted when he was a hitokiri.

Otōto- Younger Brother. Otōto is never used with the honorific chan unless it is meant sarcastically. Using chan with otōto is the equivalent of belittling one's younger brother by calling them little.

Shinai-wooden stick that students use in dojos; very similar to bokken

Yoshi-All right!

Zanbatō-Sano's weapon. According to the manga the zanbatō is, "a giant weapon… designed to take down horse and rider in one swing. It is the heaviest katana ever made. Because of its weight, it is said that no one has ever been able to weld it to its full capacity."

* * *

Wait, the story isn't over yet! There's still an epilogue. It's one giant scene, so I can't really say for sure how long it's going to be. As for when I'm going to post it... I'll shoot from a week from now, but I'm not making any promises. Also, I'll be posting deleted/original scenes from the story once the epilogue is up so look forward to that! This is one of the last chances you have, so please let me know your thoughts, comments, and/or criticisms!

Hello, Halley Vanaria! Thank you for all of your support through these months. I hope you have enjoined this (almost) ending. Your support and loyalty means a lot to me.

Hello, Kura! That's right! Sakura is totally the best grade schooler/magician ever. Period. Well, as you see here, nothing it wrong with Sakura going back to the future, but it's funny you should ask that. I have in mind possible ideas for a sequel for this story. In it, Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano, and Yahiko come to the future and a very edited and condensed version of the Jinchuu arc occurs in the future, but I don't know if I'll ever get to typing up the story. I'll probably include more details about it in the epilogue. Thank you so much for all of your support and loyalty!

Next chapter (Epilogue): Does Sakura ever get to see her family in the Meiji era again? And one final plot point is explained in the finale.

Thank you so much for all my readers who have stuck with this story until this point. Stay with me as we wrap up the story!


	34. Epilogue

I'm sad to say this, but this is the end of this story. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Sadly, this story comes to a close and I still don't have the right to say that I own these characters or the series they hail from. Not that I was hoping for it or anything.

* * *

EPILOGUE

"Are you ready?" A low whisper brimming with excitement asked.

Sakura laughed, "Of course, I'm ready. I made you bring all that stuff with us, remember? I'm prepared for every possibility."

Syaoran shook his head, a smile on his face. He squeezed Sakura's hand as he said, "All right, then. Prepare yourself." He reached forward, and pushed the shoji doors aside.

"Aunt Sakura! Uncle Syaoran!" Just as they had anticipated, a high energy toddler bounded his way across the dojo floor and into Sakura's waiting arms. "You're here, you're here!"

Sakura could help but laugh at the young boy's joy. "Yup! How could we miss your special day?"

"Ah, perfect timing," Kaoru remarked as she walked towards her guests. "The last of my students just left." Upon seeing her the toddler squeezing the life out of Sakura, Kaoru chuckled. "Kenji's been waiting for you two all day. Of course, I think Kenshin's been even more excited than Kenji for you to come."

"Where are they?" Sakura asked, releasing Kenji. He promptly attacked Syaoran.

"Kenshin and Yahiko are putting the last of the training equipment in the shed."

"Is that Sakura-chan this one hears?" Kenshin opened the side shoji doors and popped his head in. Spying Sakura and Syaoran and giant grin overcame Kenshin's face. Sakura ran towards him and the two hugged either other wholeheartedly. "It's always so good to see you, that it is," he whispered in Sakura's ear.

"And same to you," Sakura smiled, contentment filling her heart. Although Sakura and Syaoran visited the dojo every other weekend and the holidays, Sakura always had a creeping fear that this time, her magic wouldn't work and they would never see Kenshin or the others ever again. It was a fear that was only assuaged by the warmth of Kenshin's embrace.

Kenshin released the hug and glanced over Sakura's form with a sweep of his eyes. "You're getting so tall, that you are. Pretty soon you'll be even with this one's height."

"What are you talking about? Syaoran-kun has already passed you." Kenshin narrowed his eyes in slight annoyance, but Sakura knew it was all in the good of fun.

"And I've passed Kenshin, too, you know," Yahiko appeared behind Kenshin and gave Sakura a side hug. "How are you?"

"I'm doing great!" Sakura chirped.

"And Kerberos?" Kenshin asked.

"You'll see…" Sakura answered, turning to the dojo entrance where Syaoran was kneeling in front of Kenji. Kaoru stood over them, watching them.

"Present!" Kenji demanded from Syaoran.

"Kenji, that's rude," Kaoru admonished her son. "If you are going to ask something, you have to ask politely."

Kenji closed his eyes and held out his hands. "Please."

Seeing Kenji's trained behavior, Kenshin shook his head. He muttered, "You've spoiled him entirely too much."

Sakura giggled. "That's an aunt and uncle's job!"

Syaoran jerked a thumb behind him. "It's in the bag." Kenji scrambled to the stuffed brown bag that was almost as tall as he was. With a pull of the string, he undid the bag.

"Gotcha!"

Kenji stumbled back in surprise, and then he laughed and clapped his hands. "Kitty!"

"How many times do I havfta tell ya, I'm not a kitty!" Kero indignantly cried, from his position from the open mouth of the bag. Kenji extended out a hand towards Kero. "Oh, no. Not today." Kero flew out of Kenji's reach and settled on flying by Syaoran's shoulder.

Remembering his promised gift, Kenji dug into the bag and pulled out a brightly decorated cone. At Kenji's puzzled face, Syaoran explained, "It's a birthday hat because you're turning three today. It goes on… like this. There we go. Looks great, doesn't it—"

Kenji immediately ripped the hat off his head and threw it towards the ground. He reached into the bag again. Everyone laughed.

Syaoran stood up, turned to Sakura, and crossed his arms. "So much for the hats you insisted we bring along."

Sakura shrugged as she walked over to Syaoran and Kenji. "Oh well, so that was a bust. That's why I got a ton of different things," Sakura countered with a smile.

Kenji immediately straightened. "More presents?"

"Kenji," Kaoru said, an edge of warning in her voice.

Sakura laughed, "But of course!" Bending down, Sakura put her hands on her knees and said to Kenji, "So let's go outside and celebrate, huh?"

* * *

Laughter and the sound of clinking dishes rang through the air as everyone settled down for Kenji's birthday dinner. Sakura knew that the dojo table would be too tiny to fit the feast, especially since Sakura had brought a giant birthday cake and various other pastries from Tomoyo. Therefore Sakura had brought a portable table and foldable chairs for everyone to enjoy the dinner outside. Her bag of goodies also included a wide variety of balloons, themed birthday hats, paper plates, and napkins, kazoos and more poppers, and pin the tail on the donkey for everyone to play once dinner was over. And of course, Kenji's present.

Kenshin, as the head of the family, sat on one end, with Kaoru and Kenji on either side. Determined to maximize her time with her beloved nephew, Sakura sat on Kenji's other side. Syaoran sat on Sakura's left, at the other end of the table. Balloons happily blew in the breeze above the table as everyone tasted the latest batch of sweets from the future.

"Hey, Syaoran," Yahiko said, from his place next to Kaoru and across from Sakura. "Have you been practicing that move I showed you?"

After biting into a piece of cake and swallowing, Syaoran nodded. "I tried it, but I don't think I have the form correctly. I might be placing my feet incorrectly, because in execution I feel as though my stance is awkward. It's compromising my speed…"

Although Sakura was happy to see Syaoran and Yahiko getting along, she couldn't listen to them any longer without a headache. She didn't comprehend kendo swordplay when she traveled with Kenshin and she sure wasn't going to begin understanding it now.

After Yahiko suggested that he would demonstrate the move again after dinner, Syaoran countered with, "And are you practicing my marital arts technique?"

"Yeah, in between helping Kaoru and Kenshin teaching Kamiya Kasshin-ryū classes. Actually, since martial arts is similar to jūjutsu, I was experimenting different ways I could combine the two—Hey!" While Yahiko and Syaoran were talking, Kero had crept from his place at the corner of the table to Yahiko's plate. "Hands off my cookie! You already have five!" Despondent, Kero shrunk back to his plate.

"I can help, you two, with combining martial arts and—Kenji!" Kaoru cried. "You're making a mess."

Kenji had slammed his hand against his paper plate, sending cake crumbs all over himself and the table. Kaoru reached across the table towards Kenji, but Sakura stepped in. Kenshin cleaned up the crumbs while she fetched a napkin and wiped the icing off of Kenji's face. The instant Sakura released Kenji, he began wolfing down the cake again with his fingers.

"So, Sakura-chan, what are your plans after you finish high school?" Kenshin asked.

"My plans? Hmm…" Sakura leaned back in her chair, thinking. "I'm not really sure. But I do know one thing." A flash of memory shone in her mind. She stood on Tokyo's beach, the light of the Hope Card piercing the tsunami, the frightened faces of the people watching the display in awe. "…I want to do all I can to give hope to the people who need it the most."

Kenshin nodded several times in agreement. But he hastened to add, "Are you sure that you and Syaoran don't have any plans? Any plans at all?" Kenshin glanced at Kaoru, who shared his big grin.

"Yeah," Kaoru chimed in. "And _specific_ plans?"

Hearing his name, Syaoran stopped conversing with Yahiko and joined in the conversation. "We're probably going to college afterwards."

"College?" Kenshin repeated, confused. "What's 'college'?"

"College," Sakura explained, "is another school after high school that is more focused on specific subjects, to better prepare a person for getting a job related to that subject."

"Even more school?" His face falling, Kenshin asked, "And how long is it?"

"Typically four years. But some people say there longer, if they want to get higher degrees."

Kenshin slumped back in his chair, disappointed. He hung his head, his long bangs covering his eyes. Frowning in sympathy, Kaoru patted Kenshin's hand. Baffled, Sakura looked at Syaoran and raised an eyebrow. His cheeks burning red, Syaoran ducked his head and shoved food into his mouth.

"Anyway!" Kero loudly interrupted, glaring at Kenshin and Kaoru. "I think it's about time that I…" Kero jumped off the table and a white light enveloped him. With a breath of fire, Kero transformed into his true form. He grinned at everyone. "…show off my fabulous self!"

"Yay!" Jumping down from his seat, Kenji threw his arms out to the side as he ran towards Kero. "Big Kitty!"

"I'm not a kitty!"

Kenshin smiled at the two of them, but there was an air of nervousness about him. " _Maa_ , _maa_. All right you two, don't get too worked up. Be careful, Kero."

"Wha? Me?" Kero asked, raising a paw to his chest. "Careful is my middle name."

"Middle name?"

Ignoring Kenshin, Kero grinned down at Kenji, who was stroking Kero's fur. "Hey, kiddo. Wanna go on a ride?"

Kenshin stood up. "Uh, Kero. This one isn't sure that's the best idea…" Knowing what was going to happen, Sakura had to restrain her giggles. Syaoran just shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah!" Kenji laughed. He grabbed fistfuls of Kero's fur, trying to climb onto Kero's back.

"Oh no, you're not going to ride like that. We're going in style!" Kero bit onto the back of Kenji's kimono and lifted him into the air, Kenji's feet dangling over the ground. After first Kenji was surprised, but his shock quickly morphed into glee when Kero flapped his wings.

"KERO!" Kenshin shouted. "Don't even think about it."

Kero shot Kenshin a wicked smile of delight, before he took off in the air. His arms and legs failing in the wind, Kenji screamed in joy.

"Put him down!" Kenshin cried, chasing after him.

"Annoying pest!" Kaoru yelled, right on Kenshin's heels. "What do you think you're doing to my kid?!"

While still trying to grip Kenji with his teeth, Kero taunted, "Well, maybe ya're just a bad parent letting someone dangerous so close ta your child."

Kenji spread out his arms wide. "Look, Mommy, Daddy! I'm flying!"

"I mean, just look at 'im! He's so happy at being kidnapped—Ah!"

Kaoru hurled one of her tabi at Kero. The footwear smacked into Kero's wing, causing him to momentarily lose his balance.

When Kaoru reeled back her other tabi, Kenshin exclaimed, "Ah, Kaoru-dono, don't! Kero will drop him!" Above their heads, Kero circled the dojo like a vulture, reveling in the chaos he was causing, Kenji and Kero laughing hysterically all the while.

"Hahaha!" Yahiko bent over, clutching his stomach. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he gasped for breath.

Syaoran sighed. "It wouldn't be a trip to the Meiji era if Kerberos wasn't causing some sort of trouble."

"Ah, it's all right," Sakura smiled, as she rested her chin on her hand. "This is just how Kero-chan plays with Kenji-chan, and," Sakura added with a laugh, "Ken-nii and Kaoru onee-san, too."

"Yeah, but…" Syaoran glimpsed at Kaoru's face. It was so red, it appeared as though she couldn't breathe. "If this goes on for any longer, Kaoru-san is going to burst a blood vessel."

"Hmm, _sou desu ne_. That's so," said Sakura as she stood up. Planting her feet into the ground, Sakura cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Kenji-chan! I have a present for you! If you want it, you have to come back down here!"

"Another present?" Kenji asked. "Yay!" He began to squirm and fidget.

"Whoa," Kero said through clenched teeth. "Settle down there, before I—"

With a tearing sound, the back of Kenji's kimono ripped, sending the toddler crashing towards the ground. Kenji's squeals of delight turned into terror.

Everyone gasped in horror. "KENJI!" Kenshin screamed.

Before her mind knew what she was doing, Sakura's body jumped up. Her clothes transformed into her Cardcaptor dress. Tiny wings appeared on her feet, giving her jump an extra boost. With a midair flip, Sakura landed on the roof, catching Kenji in her arms. Kenji began bawling. Rubbing Kenji's back, Sakura soothed, "It's all right, Kenji. It's okay." As Sakura leapt down to the ground, she said, "Next time you just have to restrict your adventures to the roof."

Everyone rushed to Sakura's side to see if Kenji was hurt. Even Kero had transformed back from his true form to fly by Kenji's head to check on him. "He's all right," Sakura reassured. "He's from tough parents."

"Kenji, sweetheart, come here." When Kaoru reached out to Kenji to hold him, Kenji snuggled up closer to Sakura, resting his head on her shoulder. His cries became whimpers as he rubbed his eyes. Sakura caught Kaoru's eye and the two smiled.

Sakura rocked Kenji as she cooed, "No one is going to let you get hurt. We're all going to protect you, so it's okay. And…" Sakura gently lifted Kenji's chin so that he was looking at her. "You want your present now, don't you?" After a long moment, Kenji nodded. Sakura smiled. "Well then, let's go get it."

Throwing more reassuring glances and smiles at everyone, Sakura walked her way through the crowd of her family to the table. Putting Kenji in her lap, she asked Syaoran to get Kenji's present from the box. As everyone else returned to the seats, Kenji mindlessly played with the cake crumbs. Syaoran placed a wrapped box in front of Kenji. Perking up somewhat, Kenji tore the paper into shreds and opened the lid. He reached inside the box and pulled out a stuffed Kero, who had a tattered indigo ribbon wrapped around his neck. Seeing their son's present, Kenshin and Kaoru gasped.

"Kitty?" Kenji asked, confused. "It's Kitty, right?" Sakura nodded.

"Guess you really are a stuffed animal, huh?" Syaoran smirked, glancing sideways at Kero.

"Quiet, you! And besides, a stuffed animal made in my image automatically makes it better than all other toys combined."

Sakura explained to Kenji, "You see, Kit—I mean, Kero-chan is going to go on a long trip, really soon, so he won't get to see you too much."

Kenji frowned up at Sakura, "He's leaving? But why?"

"Well…" Sakura looked up at Kenshin and Kaoru, who nodded at her. "He's leaving because he has to."

Magic was a closely guarded secret in the Meiji era, only known to a few select people. If Kenji began babbling to everyone that he had an aunt and uncle from the future who could do magic and they had a flying kitty, it would be a disaster. At best people would think Kenji had a very active imagination, or at worst believe he lost his mind. So in Sakura and Syaoran's future trips to the Meiji era, Sakura and Syaoran would wear the Meiji era's clothes and Kero would hide from Kenji. However, when Kenji grew up to be old enough to learn how to keep a secret, Kero would reveal himself to the boy. Eventually Kenji would learn of all the adventures Sakura and Kenshin had, but that was still many years away. Sakura glanced at Kero. He looked so forlorn and dejected sitting in his corner of the table, but he tried to hide it all with a smile. It was sad, but this is the way it had to be, Kero had insisted. For Kenji.

Sakura rubbed Kenji's head. "But Kero-chan still loves you very much and will definitely come back. So when you miss him, you hug this toy of him Syaoran-kun and I made for you. Okay?"

"Okay. Thank you for Kitty." Then Kenji, to everyone's surprise, climbed over the table to squeezed the living daylights out of Kero. "Come back soon," Kenji whispered. "I'll miss you."

Despite the sadness cloaking him, Kero smiled. "I'll be watching over ya, always."

"And the ribbon?" Kenshin asked Sakura quietly.

Tapping her chest, Sakura smiled. "You're in my heart. I don't need physical reminders anymore."

Kenshin patted Sakura's hand. " _Un_."

"Hey yall! The Sano is in the house!"

Everyone turned their heads to the dojo gate to see Sano walking towards them, his trademark grin plastered all over his face. Over his shoulder he carried his zanbatō that still bore swirly eyes on it. In Sano's shadow was Tsubame, wearing her maid uniform.

Tsubame waved. "Tae-san let me finish my shift early today. I hope I haven't missed anything important."

Yahiko grinned as stood up. "Nothing too much, you know the usual chaos and mayhem."

Kaoru snorted, "You mean like you guys' relationship?"

"H-HEY!" Yahiko stammered, his face burning.

"Uncle Sano! Aunt Tsubame!" Kenji leapt off the table and ran towards the pair. Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Syaoran quickly followed after. Kero flapped his wings, about to fly to go join the others, when Sakura's voice stopped him.

"Kero-chan," Sakura said, still sitting in her chair. "I have a question."

Surprised, Kero turned to Sakura. "What?"

"How strong is Kenji's magic?"

Kero blinked at the randomness of the question. "Well, he's just a kid now, so next to nothing. But considering both red head and _busu_ have very strong magic, he likely to grow up to be a very powerful magician in his own right. Maybe an even better magician than either of them."

Digesting this information, Sakura leaned back in her chair, resting her index finger over her lips. "So," she clarified, "People born from those who have strong magic tend to have stronger magic then their parents. Is that right?"

"Yeah."

Sakura closed her eyes. " _Sō ka_."

Kero tilted his head to the size, his eyes narrowing as he studied Sakura. Then he jerked. Under his breath, Kero said, "Get yer mind out of the gutter." He took off and joined the others in greeting Sano and Tsubame.

 _That dream I had… could it really mean what I think does?_ Before her mind's eye the dream Sakura had while she was aboard the Rengoku replayed itself.

 _She returned her focus to the young toddler in front of her. Too impatient, he had already climbed into her arms. He stared at her with eyes that were so still, so serious… They couldn't possibly be the eyes of a baby._

 _A gut instinct screamed at her,_ He wants to tell me something. Something important. But what…?

 _The boy stared unflinchingly into her eyes. "Daughter!" he chirruped. He giggled and clapped his hands, elated for no apparent reason._

 _Yes,_ Sakura thought, _that dream must have predicted the future. That red headed boy was Kenji. He didn't mean daughter, but great granddaughter. Kenji must grow up to marry someone with strong innate magic skills, and their children marry others who have great magic, and so on. With each generation their magic multiplied until… I was born._ Sakura tilted her head back, letting the sun soak in its warm rays. The gentle breeze teased Sakura's hair, bringing whispers of a distant place.

 _I am a descendent of the Himura family._

 _That's the reason why I have such strong magic abilities that I can be the Cardcaptor. But… how is that possible? I was the one who begged to Ken-nii to visit Tokyo. If I hadn't been traveling with nii-chan then he may not have met Kaoru onee-san and married her. Kenshin and Kaoru would not have met without me and I wouldn't have been born if they didn't get married. So… what does that mean?_

Sakura opened her eyes to observe her family. Yahiko and Tsubame were attempting to have a conversation, but Kaoru and Kero's teasing only ignited Yahiko's temper. Having put down the zanbatō, Sano was spinning Kenji high in the air, the sounds of Kenji's happy laughter ringing through the air. Kenshin was unsuccessfully trying to ease the tension between Kaoru and Yahiko. While Sano spun Kenji, the fighting merchant and Syaoran conversed about their recent exploits. Watching them… something clicked inside Sakura. A realization became crystal clear.

It was a time paradox.

 _A time paradox?_ Sakura chuckled. _Of course. Why didn't I realize it earlier? I should have realized such a crazy thing like that would happen considering all the wacky adventures we've been through._ Turing her eyes to the cloudless sky, Sakura asked, _Clow Reed-san, did you predict that?_ The wind was her only response.

Then again who could possibly predict that a little eleven-year-old had the strongest magic in the planet, let alone be able to keep the world in a magical balance? That the same girl would one day travel back in time to the past to befriend the greatest hitokiri in all of time? That just when the girl had lost everything, she rekindled the flame of hope within her, saving the entire world? That by some miracle there would be a happy ever after for an ex-hitokiri, the lonely dojo master, the boy magician, the Cardcaptor who almost failed her duties, and her guardian beast?

Why, it was magical.

 _But does it really matter?_ Sakura thought as she stood up from her chair. _Time paradox or not, through my time traveling I have expanded my family and friends. Family and friends that I know I can count on to be the people I have come to love. No matter what may come our way, I know that our future will be bright. It will shine through the dark void of outer space, and shine, not like the stars, or the moon or sun, but like a supernova._

 _Because we will never forget the power of hope._

"Hey, come on there! What are you waiting for? A personal invitation?" Sano had placed Kenji back onto the ground and was now waving at Sakura to come over.

"Yeah, someone's gotta tell Sano about Kero's royal screw up," Yahiko smirked, poking Kero with every word.

"Shuddap!" Kero cried.

Tsubame nervously clasped her hands together. "Yahiko-kun, please, let's all be a bit nicer to each other…"

Kaoru picked up Kenji in her arms, and smiled at Sakura. "You better come quickly now, before Kenji starts asking for more presents."

Kenji leaned over backwards in Kaoru's arms so that he was looking upside down at Sakura. He reached out an arm towards her. "Gimme me my Kitty toy. I wanna show everybody."

Putting his hands on his hips, Syaoran smiled at Sakura. He raised an eyebrow at her as if to say, _Are you coming? We're waiting for you._

Kenshin, last of all, walked towards the center of the ground. His eyes, perhaps for the first time in over a decade, showed no hint of sadness. Instead he smiled warmly at Sakura and offered a hand to her. "Come, Sakura-chan. Join your family. The Rurouni Cardcaptor team isn't complete without you."

Seeing them all smiling at her, Sakura couldn't hold back a grin of her own. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" She ran towards them, her arms thrown at the side, her laughter echoing in the wind.

 _Ready or not, future, here I come!_

* * *

Japanese and RK/CCS Terms Dictionary:

Busu-Ugly, hag; Yahiko continuously calls Kaoru this in the beginning of the RK series

Maa, maa-Now, now; used to calm people down (In Kenshin's case usually unsuccessfully :) )

Sō ka-I see, is that so, etc. Has other meanings of which I do not know.

Sou desu ne-that is so; that's right

Tabi-Japanese socks that have a big gap between the first toe and the rest of the toes to allow room for the strap of a zōri

Un-Yeah, another way of saying yes

* * *

At 775 pages and approximately 223,376 words, I have typed this story for nearly eleven months. And now it ends. If in the future when you go through the Kenshin manga or anime and recall that Jin-e was an illusion or that Sakura battled Cho outside of Kyoto, or that after the series finished Sakura traveled to the past, then the purpose of this story has been fulfilled. I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I have in typing it. Remember, though that there will be a chapter or two of deleted/original unedited scenes that I will post soon. Before you leave, I would really appreciate if you left a review (or PM) telling me your thoughts, good or bad, about the epilogue and the story as a whole.

 **Possible Sequel:** There is a remote possibility that I would do a sequel to this story in which Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sano go to Sakura's future. It would include Enishi, and, of course, a different ending because of Sakura's magic. I also planned, if I ever typed it, to include throughout the story snippets of Kenshin and Sakura's time they spent together before they met everyone in Tokyo (i.e. just after Kenshin and Sakura met). Let me know if you have an interest in that. Just FYI, it will be no longer than 15 chapters max. However, I am having a bit of trouble combing the Jinchuu storyline with Enishi in the present. If anyone has any ideas about this, or if you want to let me know what you would want to be in this sequel, PM me!

 **In the Future** : As said in the author's note of an earlier chapter, I plan on finishing and editing a Rurouni Kenshin story that I wrote before this. It's 3/4 done already. It's summary will look like this: After Kenshin proposed to Kaoru, everyone should be celebrating. However, a enemy appears, who seems to bear a grudge against Kamiya Kasshin-ryu. Between all their secrets, lies, and jealousy, in the face of this new threat, Team Kenshin is falling apart. Look forward to it please!

Hello, Hallery Vanaria! I'm so glad you loved it. The possibility of doing a sequel exists, but I would like to finish the RK story I mentioned above first before I type anything else. Thank you so much for being a loyal and supportive reader! I wish you nothing but the absolute very best!

Hello, Kura! Aw, I'm so glad you loved the ending and found it sweet. Writing such endings can be a bit difficult. I'm also happy to hear that you are interested in a possible sequel (for more details about it see above). Honestly, though, I'm having a bit of trouble getting the details straightened out with it. It would be great if I had someone to bounce ideas off of. Maybe we could PM each other? It's totally up to you though (and it will probably lead to spoilers). Thank you for being such a loyal and supportive reader! I wish you nothing but the absolute best!

Thank you so much for reading this until the ending! (But don't forget the upcoming bonus deleted scenes!) I truly hope that this story has brought you entertainment, joy, and has opened your eyes to a new perspective of Rurouni Kenshin and Cardcaptor Sakura. At the risk of sounding horribly cheesy, don't ever lose hope!

Until we meet again,

Animercom


	35. Deleted and Original Unedited Scenes

Hello all! Thanks for reading this. The following scenes are deleted scenes or original unedited scenes. The format goes like this: First the chapter, then my * _italicized words that put the following scene in context, i.e. I explain what happened just before this scene so you understand where in the story it would have been in_ * Also, sometimes parts of the scene are too similar to the original story so I have cut it. I'll say in italics what had happened. After the scene, I'll explain why I deleted/edited from the story. It was fun going through and reliving so many different scenes from the story and I hope it'll be fun for you as well. Thanks again for reading!

Disclaimer: My original unedited version of this disclaimer claimed that I did own these series, but then I got sued. So I don't own these series. Not in the least bit.

* * *

RK CCS DELETED SCENCES/ORIGINAL UNEDITED SCENES

Chapter 8

* _This scene is the lemonade/orangeade stand_ _that Sakura, Kero, and Syaoran made to help Kaoru get more money. This takes place right before Part Two, which covers the Kyoto Arc.*_

"I, um…" Standing up, resting her hands on the stand, Sakura cried, "Look, a customer!"

Syaoran and Kero turned to look down the path. When they saw a figure approach them, Syaoran did a fist pump while Kero scrambled to hide underneath Sakura's hat. Sakura inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. She had only said that to get Kero off her back; she hadn't actually seen anyone. Merrily, Sakura waved her hand and chirruped, "Welcome to our stand-" Upon seeing who it was, Sakura dropped her hand and all the enthusiasm she had. "Oh, it's you." Humphing, Sakura rested her head on her hands and scowled. Besides her, Syaoran did the same.

"Oro?"

"Go away, kidnapper. No one likes you." Sakura lightly shoved Syaoran's shoulder.

Ignoring Syaoran, Kenshin hefted the tofu basket in his hand and tried to read the sign, but only a few of the Japanese symbols were recognizable. "What does it say?"

* _Cut because too similar to original. Sano, Yahiko, and Kaoru appear and puzzle over the stand. Kaoru asks if the others are drinking in midday and Syaoran exclaims the following...*_

Slamming his hands down on the stand, Syaoran exclaimed, "Do you want to know what the kidnapper really thinks, Kaoru-san? He said that it was the most disgusting thing he ever tasted!"

"Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted, turning to him with her hands on her hips. "That's horrible!"

Before Kenshin could defend himself, Syaoran gabbed a finger at Kenshin and accused, "After Sakura worked for hours on it, Kenshin said it was so awful that if she gave it to bunnies they would turn pink and have diarrhea crap out rainbows and butterflies! And it tastes like pee!"

Kaoru and Kenshin gasped in horror. Kaoru glared daggers at Kenshin. Kenshin raised his hands in the air and denied it. "This one would never say such things!" When Kaoru took a step towards him, Kenshin pulled on Sano's sleeve. "Sano… back this one up here…" But Sano was too busy containing his laughter. "Please!" Kenshin cried, as Kaoru grabbed the collar of Kenshin's gi and pulled on it.

"What did you say?" Kaoru hissed in Kenshin's ear, her voice low and threatening.

"And worst of all he made Sakura cry!"

Kaoru glanced at Sakura for confirmation. Sakura bit her lip in thought. Syaoran was unjustifiably being mean in teasing Kenshin, but all of the people to support her… "He lied to me." Sakura glowered. Sano and Yahiko had to cover their mouths to keep from bursting out in laughter.

Angry, Kenshin glared at Syaoran. He moved towards him, saying. "You… this one has had enough of you calling him—Ow!" Kaoru whacked Kenshin's head with her bokken. Frowning, Kenshin rubbed his forehead and gazed at Kaoru, silently imploring her to understand his point of view.

At the same time, Sano and Yahiko began to laugh. Kaoru smiled, "And now that I know the real culprits…" Kaoru brained Sano and Yahiko with swings of her bokken and knocked Kero out of the air by descending her fist onto Kero's head.

"Hey, _busu_! I didn't do anything!" Yahiko cried.

"Yeah, _busu_! I happen to like orangeade!" Kero added.

Kaoru looked at Sano waiting to hear his excuse. "You should drink some with Kenshin." He waggled his eyebrows. "Alone."

"Tch." Kaoru tossed her head in the air.

"Ooh, you got burned, Kenshin," taunted Sano, putting his arms around Kenshin's shoulders.

"Get off," Kenshin said in a tone of voice so cold that it burned. Hurriedly, Sano let go of Kenshin.

Ignoring everyone, Kaoru turned to Sakura and offered her hand to her. "Poor Sakura-chan. Why don't we go inside and leave these guys behind to have some girl talk together, okay?" Sakura smiled and accepted Kaoru's hand. It was good to know that no matter what happened, even if Kenshin betrayed her, Kaoru would be on her side. She nodded at Kaoru.

"You just got beat out by Sakura, Kenshin," grinned Yahiko.

Over her shoulder Kaoru called, "Kenshin, you got dinner to make."

Sighing dejectedly, Kenshin answered, " _Hai_ , Kaoru-dono…"

"And Li-kun," Kaoru continued, "You're helping him."

Syaoran exhaled angrily, smacking his hand against the stand and throwing his head back. "Why?"

"Because you're punished again." When Syaoran demanded a reason, Kaoru brushed him aside and she and Sakura walked inside the gates. Behind them, voices rose in anger.

"Why didn't you stop Li-kun and tell the truth, Sano? You're the one who ranted-"

"Oh, please, Kenshin. _Busu_ hits you on the head with her bokken every other day for something stupid that you do. This is no different."

"Well, if no one wants the orangeade I'm drinking what's left…"

"Plush toy, that's for Sakura! Give it back!"

"No!"

"Yeah, Kenshin. The Missie may hit you but I'm sure she would appreciate you hitting on her every now and then."

"E-E-Excuse this one?"

"Oh, come on Kenshin. Haven't you seen the wistful look in her eyes every time you head for the bath?"

"O-Ororo!"

Besides Sakura, Kaoru stopped walking. Her fist shook and she lowered her head, but Sakura could see her face was burning underneath her bangs. "What's wrong, onee-san?"

After a moment, Kaoru lifted her head. To Sakura, she appeared to be the epitome of grace and elegance. "What did you do with the sake that was in the jug you used for the orangeade, Sakura-chan?" Kaoru asked, breezily.

Thinking Kaoru would be upset with her, Sakura whispered, "I dumped it…"

"Good." Under her breath Kaoru muttered, "And Sano's not getting any food here either."

Sakura turned behind her, thinking over what had just occurred. "You're kind of like everyone's mom, aren't you, Kaoru onee-san?"

Kaoru smirked. "I feel that way sometimes."

Together the two of them went inside the house and entered Kaoru's bedroom. Sitting across from Sakura, Kaoru stated, "Now, Sakura-chan, it seems like you're trying to raise money. Why? Is there something you need?"

Uncomfortable, Sakura fidgeted. "I just want to help someone, that's all…" At the sound of footsteps in the hallway leading up to the Kaoru's shoji door, Sakura stopped. Kaoru raised an eyebrow at Sakura. Standing up, Sakura explained, "It's just Syaoran-kun following me around. I guess I'll let him in…"

"It's perfectly okay to not answer and let him sweat it out, you know." Sakura gave Kaoru a weird look, trying to see if she was serious. She was. "I said we're going to have a girls talk and he just has to learn to respect that."

Sitting back down, Sakura mumbled, "It would take him forever to figure out what to say to me when he sees me anyway." Briefly, Sakura wondered if that was the way things were between Kaoru and Kenshin.

"Besides," Kaoru grinned, leaning forward to cover Sakura's hands, "if you need to raise money, I got the best idea!"

* _This was cut for a multiple of reasons. It made Syaoran too mean to Kenshin (in the original Sano accuses Kenshin of everything in this it's Syaoran).The giant argument, although funny, makes everyone a bit out of character. I cut Syaoran following Sakura at the end because it made Syaoran too pathetic. And i_ _t was too long._ _Plus on revision, I realized an opportunity to have character development and reveal Syaoran's feelings towards Kenshin to everyone.*_

* * *

Chapter 8

 _*This is a deleted scene that would have occurred right after the above scene. In the above scene Kaoru punished Syaoran for calling Kenshin kidnapper all the time and orders Syaoran to help Kenshin make food for everyone.*_

"Stupid, stupid, _busu_. Stupid, stupid, kidnapper. Stupid, stupid, _busu_ …" Syaoran muttered to himself as he and Kenshin worked in the kitchen, preparing lunch.

Cutting up tofu, Kenshin commented dryly, "The world isn't going to end tomorrow."

"Shut up, stupid, stupid, kidnapper." Kenshin shook his head. Returning to cutting up a tofu, Syaoran continued his chant. "Stupid, stupid, STUPID, kidnapper!" On the last "stupid", Syaoran cut the tofu with such ferocity that bits of it went flying, one of them landing on Kenshin's face.

Kenshin paused cutting the tofu and blinked. Unfazed, Kenshin flicked the tofu off his face. Glaring at Kenshin, Syaoran resumed making lunch. The two worked in silence for a while until Syaoran heard Kenshin chuckle to himself. Kenshin even stole a few glances at Syaoran. _I know what he's getting at…_ Blood boiling, Syaoran set his knife down and shouted, "I'm not cute!"

Kenshin startled, staring at Syaoran. Then he smiled and ruffled Syaoran's hair. " _Aa_ , you're annoying not cute, that you most certainly are. Happy?"

"Grr…" Syaoran resisted the urge to say that Kenshin was supposed to be insulted, not annoyed. "Can I go now?" Syaoran had finished chopping the tofu needed for the miso soup. Because Syaoran didn't know many of the dishes of this time, or the proper way of cooking them without modern tools, Kenshin often finished the meals by himself. Thankfully, Kenshin nodded.

As Syaoran left he heard Kenshin sigh. Thinking now would be the perfect opportunity to discover what Kenshin really thought, Syaoran hid in the hallway, making sure Kenshin couldn't see him. Gathering the tofu cubes, Kenshin murmured to himself, "Someone needs to teach that boy how to properly express his pride and feelings for Sakura-chan, that they do." He paused, his face darkening, "If his parents wanted him to go back to the Continent when Sakura-chan disappeared, this one wonders if his parents would even care to teach him."

Syaoran gasped. _He remembers that I said that…?_ His prideful part of him cried, _Well I wasn't talking to him then so he should mind his own business!_ Ducking further down the hallway, Syaoran pondered what Kenshin must have meant. _Did he just insult me and my parents or is he worried about me because he thinks my parents are ignoring me?_ Syaoran closed his eyes, remembering the last phone call he had with his mother before he ran away after Sakura disappeared. _They only want what's best for the family honor and not me…_ Looking over his shoulder, Syaoran questioned, _How did he figure that out?_

 _*Cut because too similar to the original. After preparing food, Syaoran leaves the dojo and goes to where Sakura and everyone is doing fortune telling.*_

After traveling a couple of streets, he found Sakura sitting behind her stand, Kaoru, Sano, Yahiko, and Tsubame assisting her, and a line of people.

Fliting through the customers like a butterfly, Kaoru chatted with various people, laughing too loudly at nothing. She sashayed her way here and there, pretending to be a lot friendlier than she was. Sano and Yahiko stood behind the stand, trying to ignore Kaoru. Tsubame greeted new customers and directed them to their places, sharing stories about how good Sakura was. Syaoran was glad that the incident with Erase and Illusion Clow Cards hadn't scared Tsubame away. Tsubame seemed to be a close friend of Sakura and if she left, Sakura would have been upset. For a time, Syaoran decided to walk among the customers, amusing himself by listening to the various reactions they had to Sakura and the accuracy of her fortunes.

From behind him, Syaoran heard Kaoru call out, "Welcome!"

Turning, Syaoran beheld the person he hated the most in this time: Kenshin. Syaoran smiled when he saw Kenshin do a double take at Sakura. Quickly, Kenshin grew upset and he and Kaoru began to argue. Syaoran was inclined to ignore them, but a thought struck him. If Kenshin was angry at this set up for that reason… he was even more selfish than Syaoran thought and Kenshin was the one who needed to learn a lesson. Walking towards Kenshin and Kaoru, Syaoran bunched up the sleeve of his gi on one arm, thinking, _I'll gladly be the one to teach him a thing or two._ As he approached Kenshin and Kaoru he heard them shout at each other.

"Fortune telling with the cards?" Kenshin asked "Is that a joke? You know why Sakura-chan can't do something like that!"

Crossing her arms, Kaoru retorted, "If nobody uses any names or special abilities, then what does it matter?" Kaoru smiled and gestured to Sakura. "Besides, isn't she cute?! I worked all night on her outfit!"

Sakura wore a purple kimono with black and blue swirls by her collar, the ends of the sleeves, and the bottom of her kimono. Her obi bands and ribbon matched the colors of her kimono. On her head was an unorthodox hat that reminded Syaoran of the habits Christian nuns wore. A cloth that hung down from the hat covered Sakura's eyes, protecting her identity. Syaoran knew that Kero hid inside the hat, helping Sakura come up with fortunes. Seeing her in that kimono, Syaoran had to stop himself from nodding at Kaoru's question.

However it was clear Kenshin felt differently. He barely spared her a glance and instead chose to continue arguing. "This one can't believe you would endanger her this way."

"All right, all right. Break it up." Kenshin and Kaoru looked up to see Sano towering over them. He stared down on them. "You're both bad for business. Go away."

"W-What?" spluttered Kaoru. "I'm entertaining the customers and making them happy!"

Sano replied, "Yeah that acting cute and helping others routine ain't helping. Not when you're acting like a stupid, frivolous upstart with nothing in her head. If you want to entertain someone, entertain Kenshin at the dojo where I don't have to get sick watching you day in and day out." Yahiko died laughing.

"Ororo!"

"Why you…" Kaoru growled. "Sakura-chan isn't going to help you win at gambling no matter how 'helpful' you think you are!"

" _Maa, Maa,_ Kaoru-dono. Sano, you don't have to be so harsh…" Kenshin said, defending Kaoru. "I'm sure she's trying her best to help. But it's still not safe for-oro?"

* _Cut because too similar to original. Syaoran and Sano drag Kenshin and Kaoru back to the dojo. Sano heads back to the fortune telling. Syaoran accuses Kenshin of being selfish: he doesn't care about protecting Sakura's identity of being the Cardcaptor, but instead he's afraid of someone recongizing Kenshin as hitokiri Battosai.*_

Surprised by Syaoran's outburst, Kenshin stared at Syaoran. Recovering, Kenshin turned to Kaoru and smiled, "Forgive this one for causing you trouble, Kaoru-dono. It appears this one has something to discuss with Li-kun. Excuse us." Blinking, Kaoru nodded at Kenshin.

 _Was he apologizing because he made an uproar over the fortune telling or because of me…?_ However, Syaoran didn't have any more time to dwell on it for Kenshin was already heading towards the house. Feeling a sense of dread-Kenshin might really get him now-Syaoran followed.

* _Cut because too similar to original. Kenshin explains to Syaoran that when Kenshin was a rurouni he accepted the challenges of those who wanted revenge on Kenshin.*_

Syaoran closed his eyes, thinking. "But if you died in one of those duels, wouldn't Sakura, Kaoru-san, and everyone be sad?"

Kenshin's eyes widened and his mouth parted in surprise. Then he smiled broadly. " _Hai_ , they would, wouldn't they? This is the first time this one has been in such a position, so he supposes it never occurred to him to view things like that. Li-kun is very perceptive and intelligent. In fact, he has so many good qualities, it's frustrating and upsetting that he hides them, that it is."

"Eh?" Syaoran asked, feeling as though a carpet had been yanked from underneath him. He was insulting the kidnapper and calling him stupid. Since when had the conversation had turned to him? "What do you mean?"

"Loyalty loses its meaning when companioned with jealousy. Love is nothing when hatred is present."

"Are you saying I'm jealous and hateful?"

"And pride comes before a fall," Kenshin muttered with a sigh. Dropping his vagueness, Kenshin explained, "You don't like this one, in part at least, because of this one's closeness to Sakura-chan, _ne_? If you want Sakura-chan to be happy and she is happy when she is with this one, then you need to learn how to come to terms with that, for her sake. Your devotion for Sakura isn't bringing out the best in you, which is saddening because it should."

Drawing his legs to his chest, Syaoran glowered. "Are you trying to get me to be nicer to you?"

" _Īe_. This one is just saying that if you want Sakura-chan to be happy, you need to take into account her feelings a little more."

 _Now you're saying that I don't care about Sakura…_ Syaoran frowned. _Or is he trying to help with me and Sakura?_ Syaoran stared at Kenshin, searching for Kenshin's true intentions. Kenshin met his gaze unflinchingly, the corners of his mouth turned slightly upwards. Syaoran detected no malice in him. Closing his eyes, Syaoran remembered Kenshin's words, expressing concern that his parents ignored him and his seemingly selfless and repeated offers to mend his combat outfit. _Perhaps he is a bonehead, but it appears that he does care enough about others to try to help them… even a jerk like me._

* _The above scene ends with Syaoran giving Kenshin his Chiense magical combat outfit, but I moved that to Chapter 9, or the end of Part One. Again this was cut for multiple reasons. The kitchen scene between Kenshin and Syaoran was cut because Kaoru actually going through with her threat of punishing Syaoran would be harsh and a bit out of character. Plus the scene, although it includes a rare mention of Syaoran's family, amounts to very little when all is said and done. Kaoru acting like a social butterfly... funny, but not in character. As for what I meant with Kenshin turning philosophical with Syaoran about his relationship with Sakura... is anyone's guess. XD I had attributed an implied meaning to it, but rereading it now I can't remember what it was. Oh well. That's why it was cut._

* * *

Chapter 8

* _This scene is a deleted scene from the fortune telling stand episode. In my revision of the chapter, I have in the original story a conversation between Sano and Syaoran before Kenshin arrives and complains about Sakura doing a stand. In this scene, I also included a conversation between Syaoran, Yahiko, and Tsubame, before Kenshin arrived.*_

Syaoran opened his eyes to see Yahiko and Tsubame talking to each other. Seeing them made Syaoran smile. _At least it seems they're having a good time._

Tsubame looked up from her conversation with Yahiko and caught Syaoran's gaze. She waved at Syaoran, smiling. Taking her wave as an invitation, Syaoran walked over to the pair. She continued to smile pleasantly as she greeted, "Having fun, Li-kun? I'm having a great time!"

"Yeah, it's fun," Syaoran answered Tsubame. Syaoran was glad that the incident with Erase and Illusion Clow Cards hadn't scared Tsubame away. Tsubame was a close friend of Sakura and if she left, Sakura would have been upset. Admittedly, Syaoran would have been as well, since she was starting to become a good friend of Syaoran's.

"It's a good chance for everyone to be happy," continued Tsubame. "At least, everyone at the dojo isn't as gloomy anymore. Ever since… you know…" The trio lowered their heads as the remembered the incident with Erase and Illusion. Both boys noticed that Tsubame looked particular somber. Biting her lower lip, she clenched a shaking fist to her chest. While the Cards hadn't affected her directly, it was clear the thought of them still frightened Tsubame.

Unsure of how to comfort her, the two boys stood there silently. An awkward silence filled the air until Yahiko exclaimed, "I know!" Yahiko fingered the hilt of his ever present shinai strapped to his back as he stared at Syaoran. "You know… we were never able to finish our duel from way back when we first met. And I think I know why. It's because you're a coward."

"Y-Yahiko-kun!" Tsubame gasped in surprise.

With his other hand, Yahiko rubbed underneath his nose with his index finger. "You know that if you didn't trick me into thinking you were going to use your sword like a normal person instead of magic, I would have won with my shinai."

"Oh?" Syaoran raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. At first Syaoran was confused by Yahiko's random challenge, but, realizing Yahiko's intent, he played along. While Tsubame would be mildly upset at the two of them threatening to duel, hopefully she would completely forget about disappearing from the Erase Clow Card. "I've been training as a martial artist for years. I don't need my magic to defeat you."

"Yahiko-kun! Li-kun!" cried Tsubame, stepping in between the two. "How could you guys say something like that? You guys are friends. Y-You should try to be nicer, right?"

Over Tsubame's shoulder, Yahiko mouthed "thank you" to Syaoran. Syaoran nodded.

Yahiko waved his hand as he smirked, "Martial artist, shmartist. With my kendo skills and shinai you wouldn't be able to lay your hands on me." Trying to help Tsubame aside, Syaoran knew by the fire in Yahiko's eyes showed that he believed his words.

Grinning with a confidence equal to Yahiko, Syaoran replied, "We'll just have to see sometime, won't we?"

"Definitely."

* _This was cut for one reason: the chapter was too long. But actually I love this scene because it shows why Syaoran and Yahiko are friends. (What? It's too similar to Yahiko and Yutaro's relationship? Whatever made you think that? That's not the case at all! Nope, nope!) Considering I have what, three chapters that are near or over 30 pages, I'm going to go back an include it in the story.*_

* * *

Chapter 14

* _This is a deleted scene from when_ _Sōjirō kidnaps Sakura after Sakura defeats Cho._ _Sōjirō is taking Sakura to Shishio on Mt. Hiei.*_

Sakura shivered. _He's so… emotionless. Aside from his smiles, he doesn't show anything._ She shook out of her reverie once she noticed that the man had traveled onwards without her. She hastened until she walked a short distance behind him. They fell into silence as they walked forward. Looking around, Sakura saw no animals, nor did she hear any birdsong. Aside from Shishio's underling ahead of her, she was alone. _Nii-chan…_ The thought of Kenshin reminded her of a conversation they had during a stay at a hotel.

 _Sakura, doing her best to distract Kenshin from the pain of his wounds, cracked a joke, and Kenshin chuckled. However she knew Kenshin well enough to know he was just smiling in order to humor her rather than he believed her joke was funny. Sakura wasn't surprised, then, that his eyes turned serious. "Sakura-chan, you remember how we created plans in case we got separated shortly after we first met?" Sakura nodded. "Well, this one doesn't want to scare you, but we need to be prepared in the event that we are separated and you meet one of Shishio's men." Sakura recalled how she was treated when she captured Fly in the Meiji era. Seeing how Sakura was frightened, Kenshin placed his hand over hers. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. This one will fight his hardest to ensure that will never happen. Even if it does, this one_ will _find you again, that he will. So don't fear. This one needs you to be brave. If you are captured by one of Shishio's men you have to promise him that you will try to get some information about them. This is very important, but don't press anyone if you think they will hurt you. Do you promise?" After a moment, Sakura agreed. "That's this one's girl. So here's how you can do it…"_

 _Brave… I must be brave. Ken-nii and Kero-chan are counting on me._ Sakura eyed Sōjirō's back, wondering about what could be useful to Kenshin. "Um, excuse me, er…"

Then man turned his head to the side to see Sakura. "Oh, do you not know my name? Ah, that's right. I only introduced myself to Battōsai-san. Forgive. My name is Seta Sōjirō."

* _This was another scene I really liked, but ended up cutting._ _This was cut for two reasons: one the chapter was too long and it takes the people out of the story, that is, it distracts the people from the situation at hand-that Sakura has been kidnapped and must find a way to outsmart_ _Sōjirō.*_

* * *

Chapter 15

* _This is a scene after Kaoru, Syaoran, and Yahiko defeat Watery with fireworks on the boat to Kyoto. They are on a raft, watching the boat.*_

Syaoran grinned. "Who's said the night is over?" Confused, Kaoru watched Syaoran stand up once again. Using his wind and fire magic, he blasted the leftover fireworks in the other crates on the roof of the superstructure into the sky. The fireworks exploded into gold and white above the ship, lighting up the sky. Kaoru, Syaoran, and Yahiko smiled at the sight. Together they soaked up the warmth from the fire and watched the beautiful fireworks in front of them, perfectly content. There couldn't have been a better way to celebrate their victory.

After several minutes had passed in silence, Syaoran spoke up, "Thank you, Yahiko, Kaoru-san, for helping me capture this Clow Card. I couldn't have done it without you."

Kaoru smiled down at him with a motherly warmth. "It's all right, Li-"

"No. Let me speak," Syaoran interrupted. "I just want to say…" Syaoran sighed and looked up at the fireworks as he began again. "I have four older sisters. None of them are really interested in magic. My father works a lot so I don't get really to see him. My mother is a great magician, but she's very…"

"Strict?" Kaoru supplied.

"Yes. She's always pushing me in my studies, with school or magic, and she gets upset with me when I don't try my hardest. My sisters don't understand why I love magic. My father isn't there. And I know my mother loves me, but she doesn't really… show it. What I'm trying to say is that you guys didn't have any idea that there was magic in the world, and yet you believed Sakura, Kerberos, and I. Unlike my family, you _understand_ me. Understand us. In fact, you're helping us catch the Clow Cards even though it's dangerous. You aren't trained magicians like Sakura and I, but you still defeated Watery, one of the most powerful Clow Cards." Syaoran turned his head to Kaoru and Yahiko and smiled one of biggest, most genuine smiles he ever had. "Thank you. Thank you for not letting Sakura, Kerberos, and I, be alone in this era."

"Of course!" Kaoru chirped. "How could any of us turn a blind eye to someone in trouble?" Kaoru was truly touched to hear Syaoran say such a heartfelt thanks. It seemed that all of his barriers of aloofness had finally vanished and he accepted them as trusted and valued friends.

Yahiko smirked, "Yeah, well, it's not like we're helpless against the Clow Cards. I mean, I have Kamiya Kasshin-ryū." Growing excited, Yahiko leaned towards Syaoran and said, "I have a challenge. I'll master Kamiya Kasshin-ryū before you become a master magician. It'll be a race. So what do you think?"

Syaoran laughed. "The only 'master magician' title there is, is the Cardcaptor, which I can't become but sure, whatever. I accept." Syaoran grinned at Yahiko. "And I won't lose."

Curious, Kaoru asked, "You can't become the Cardcaptor? But you can use the Clow Cards, right?"

Syaoran shrugged. "No, I can't. Although, I spent my entire childhood training my magic to become one. But when I left my home in Hong Kong to Japan, I learned that Sakura had already become the Cardcaptor. I thought that I was a better magician than her, I certainly had trained a lot more than Sakura, so I was pretty… rude to her. And yet the more time I spent with Sakura and saw her skill with magic, the more I respected her. And…" Syaoran cleared his throat loudly, a red blush on his cheeks.

Kaoru giggled. Naturally, she wasn't blind to Syaoran's obvious affections for Sakura. She found it adorable to watch. Briefly, Kaoru wondered what Kenshin thought of the idea of someone liking his "little sister". _Kenshin…_ thought Kaoru with a pang. However, Syaoran's exclamation burst the image of Kenshin in her mind.

"Anyway! Meeting Sakura changed me. Meeting the ex-hitokiri, I guess I kind of went back to being like I was because I was angry with him for not saving Sakura."

At Syaoran's explanation Kaoru grew quiet. She had suspected such reasoning for Syaoran's unforgiving treatment of Kenshin for a long time. Her suspicions were confirmed by his outburst during the orangeade stand. However, his behavior still bothered her greatly. She knew that while Syaoran was just a child and didn't necessarily mean to hurt Kenshin, but the nickname reminded Kenshin of the other harsh language revenge seekers used when describing him.

"And now?" Yahiko asked, a serious tone to his voice. It was as though he, like Kaoru, had sensed a change in Syaoran's perspective regarding Kenshin.

"And now…" Syaoran looked out across the sea. "Now I know he isn't that bad, he just does stupid things sometimes."

"Damn straight!" Yahiko cried, raising his fist. "He left to Kyoto without us, and he-ow!"

Kaoru slammed a fist down on Yahiko's head. "Watch your mouth!" she admonished.

* _I cut edited this scene and cut Syaoran mentioning his family because the scene was too long. It was meant to be an ending scene that had a bit of character development and paved the way to the next scene with Kenshin. This above scene ended up going in two many directions and never elaborating enough on any direction.*_

* * *

Chapter 18

 _*This deleted scene is when Kenshin is training with Hiko to learn the secret of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū.*_

The roar of the nearby waterfall in his ears. The feel of the ground beneath his zōri. The pounding of his heart. The nerves in his stomach and his uneven breathing. The familiar grip of the sakabatō hilt. Staring into the man that was his master, Kenshin knew it was now or never. If Kenshin didn't overcome his fears and master the final technique of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, then all of Japan would suffer the consequences.

"Before we begin, there is something I want to say," Hiko stated. "Remember, that no matter how skilled you are, you're still a human being. No skill will make you a god. You can die. But don't go thinking that your death will be helpful to anyone. This era isn't so simple that one man's sacrifice can save it. If you die fighting for the happiness of others, how miserable would Sakura be?"

 _Devastated_ , Kenshin answered in his thoughts. _Still if my death would mean that she would be safe…_

Hiko continued, "And what about your lover? Your friends Sakura mentioned? You can't abandon them."

Kenshin fought against the blush on his face as the memory of him blurting that he wasn't married came to mind. Hiko would never let him live it down. Kenshin would never let himself live it down.

Drawing his sword, Hiko reverted to the cold, calculating demeanor. "Talk's over. Now we begin."

 _*And what followed after this scene was essentially a written description of the Kenshin's training in the manga, aka, BORING. Therefore it was cut.*_

* * *

Chapter 20

* _This scene takes place after Kenshin and Syaoran have their talk by the river outside Hiko's cabin. Kenshin finally admits that he is selfish and that he wants to change. Syaoran offers his help.*_

 _He's… counting on me?_ No one in his life had told Syaoran that they were counting on him. Surely, Sakura and Kero depended on him but they had never voiced the sentiment aloud. And certainly no one in his family had lavished such attention on him, or openly appreciated him like Kenshin was now. Happiness lit up Syaoran from the inside and he couldn't help but smile in return. "I won't let you down."

Kenshin's smile only grew wider. Grabbing on Syaoran's arms, Kenshin pulled Syaoran forward.

 _What…?_

Syaoran gasped as he felt arms encircle him. A hand rubbed his back and he was rocked back and forth. "This one knows you won't."

At Kenshin's words, Syaoran bit the inside of his lip. _It's been so long… so long since someone has hugged me like this…_ Syaoran gripped Kenshin back fiercely, only one thought in his mind.

 _Thank you._

 _*_ _This was deleted because Kenshin hugging Syaoran at this point was a bit awkward and unbelievable.*_

* * *

Chapter 21

 _*This takes place during the havoc that ensued after Kaoru learned that Kero made Sakura call Kenshin her father and Kaoru her mother. When Sakura sees Kenshin, she calls him nii-chan out of habit and, fed up, Kenshin replies, "Oh, it's 'nii-chan' now, is it?"*_

Sakura gulped. He didn't seem to mind too much that Sakura had called him Daddy earlier, but with Kaoru and the others here… Kenshin grabbed her by the back of her kimono and yanked her to his side, making her face Kaoru, Syaoran, and Yahiko. Removing his hand from her kimono, he clamped his hand on top of Sakura's head and squeezed. Kero made of noise of protest. Kenshin leaned in to Sakura's hat. He whispered something that made Kero become deathly silent.

Finished with Kero, Kenshin called, "Sakura?"

"Erm."

"For lying, you're being punished in some way. If only this one had done it sooner."

Sakura frowned, greatly upset. Being scolded was a new experience for her since coming to the Meiji era, since her father had been so lax. However, Sakura knew better than to object. When Kenshin was reduced to grabbing the back of Sakura's kimono and dragging her around after she had run down too many alleys, Sakura knew Kenshin meant business.

* _Cut because too similar to the original. More madness continues until it is time to leave Hiko and return to Kyoto. Kenshin speaks to Hiko.*_

Sakura saw the sadness in Kenshin's eyes that mirrored her own. But to Sakura's surprise, his smile returned. With a hint of cockiness Kenshin replied, "But this one doesn't want to forget you, Daddy."

His lip curling, Hiko growled like a tiger. Spinning on his heel, Hiko strode inside. However his voice was uncharacteristically soft as he spoke over his shoulder. "I didn't teach you Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū so that you would suffer. Remember that." With those parting words, Hiko disappeared inside the cabin.

Exhaling, Kenshin closed his eyes. " _Shishō_... thank you for everything…"

Exiting the cabin, Hiko threw a pottery jug at Kenshin, nailing him in the face. "But I will make you suffer for calling something as stupid as you my son!"

Blood spurted out of Kenshin's nose. He collapsed.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried. She dropped Aoshi to the ground and ran towards Kenshin, holding his head in her lap. Sakura, Syaoran, and Yahiko looked down at him, concerned.

"Ororo…" He muttered, his eyes spinning.

Yahiko and Syaoran rolled their eyes. "He'll be fine," they chorused.

"Something smells nice… And this one is quite warm for some reason… Is that you, Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru smacked him.

* _Cut because Kenshin punishing Sakura is a bit hard to swallow and Kenshin at the end is out of character (unless Kenshin is portrayed as the idiot of the beginning of the RK series).*_

* * *

Chapter 21

* _This takes place right after the above scene_ _. Sakura and the others return to Kyoto. Sakura runs ahead and she and Kero enter the Aoi-Ya alone. Sakura greets Misao by calling her Misao-san.*_

Gasping, Misao released her and bowed to her formally. "So sorry, Cardcaptor-sama. But please," Misao straightened and looked Sakura in the eye as she said, "don't call me san. Misao is just fine."

Before Sakura could reply, Misao had already bounced to the next topic. "So where's Sun Guardian-sama and Himura? Didja meet up with Kaoru-san, Yahiko, and Li? I guess I understand if you haven't meet Kaoru-san and the others, already. After all, we hadn't any idea where you'd run off. I mean, of course it would make sense that you would leave the Aoi-Ya if there was somewhere else you had to go to defeat Shishio. Yeah. But Himura should have been with you, 'cause you left together, right? And the Sun-Guardian never strays from the Cardcaptor's side, yeah?"

Misao's enthusiasm and number of questions made Sakura's head spin. "Um, uh…" She had only understood perhaps of fourth of what Misao had said.

"Leave it ta me." Kero emerged from beneath Sakura's hat and flew above her head. "Here I am. Yes. Yes. And, uh, oh yes: yeah."

Misao blinked. "What?"

Kero ignored her. Turning and gesturing behind him, Kero said, "And here's red head and the rest of the motley crew now."

At that moment, Kenshin, Kaoru, and the others burst through the door. Putting his fists on hips, Kenshin cried, "Sakura-chan! This one told you not to run off in Kyoto!"

Following Kenshin's statement, the Aoi-Ya was filled with noise and shouts as everyone competed to have the loudest greeting.

"Misao-chan! We found Kenshin and Sakura-chan!"

"Yay! Good for you. Oh yeah, almost forgot." Misao turned to the stairs behind her. " _Minna-_ san! Cardcaptor-Sama, Sun Guardian-Sama, Himura, and Kaoru-san have all returned!"

The four onmitsu and Okina crashed down the stairs, exclamations of their happiness of their safety resounding through the inn.

"Cardcaptor-sama! You have returned to us!"

"Himura-dono, how are you? Haven't encountered too much trouble, I hope? Wait, what are these bandages?"

"This one is fine, thank you. And, well... these bandages are just from training."

"And Kaoru-kun's bandages?"

"Er…"

"Thank all the gods, you're safe. Over the past couple of days Shishio's men have been on the move and we were afraid—"

* _Cut because too similar to the original. Everyone notices that Tsubame is at the Aoi-Ya. Sakura, Syaoran, and Yahiko all greet her. Then Sakura exclaims...*_

"Group hug!" Sakura cried, hugging Tsubame tighter. Syaoran gave Sakura a blank stare. Sakura frowned at him, annoyed. Syaoran hastily complied with her request, however he only hugged Sakura and not Tsubame.

"Um…"

Syaoran turned his head to side to see Yahiko standing awkwardly at the base of the stairs, unsure of what to do. Syaoran smiled, amused. He broke off of the hug and headed towards Yahiko. Grabbing Yahiko's arm, Syaoran dragged him up the stairs.

"Hey! What are you doing? Let me go! I said: let. Me. Go!"

When they reached Tsubame, Syaoran released his grip on Yahiko. Tsubame frowned at Yahiko and pouted slightly, "You don't want to…" Her cheeks became red. She squeaked, "…hug me?"

Like a deer caught in the headlights of a car, Yahiko froze. His eyes became huge. "Duh…"

Syaoran took Sakura's wrist. Surprised, Sakura looked down at their nearly joined hands. Leading her, Syaoran walked down the steps, leaving Yahiko and Tsubame behind. Syaoran raised a hand in farewell, smirking. "Have fun."

"Der…" Yahiko stammered.

Shaking his head, Syaoran laughed to himself. Sakura studied him. A big smile graced his face and the sound of his happy laughter still echoed through her mind. Warmth traveled from her head to the end of her toes. _It's that feeling again… does it mean what I think it might?_

Unaware of Sakura's gaze, Syaoran continued guided her down the stairs, the voice of the others reaching them their ears.

"Where were you? We searched all of Kyoto in our search for you."

"We found them at a cabin on the mountains west of here."

"Ooh, a secluded cabin just the two of you? What did you do? Oh wait, I guess Cardcaptor-sama was there. Boy, that would be awkward."

"Ha! Sakura there or not, they did a lot of stuff, lemme tell ya! Let's see, first they-"

"Monster!"

* _Cut because too similar to the original. Aoshi enters and Misao, upset that Aoshi betrayed everyone by giving the Clow Book to Shishio, strips Aoshi of the title of the Onibanshu head. Misao leaves the room.*_

Silence followed her exit. Misao's onmitsu friends glanced between Aoshi and the back door Misao had disappeared through. Okina sighed, wearily. Biting her lip, Sakura studied Aoshi. He had shown no outward emotion during Misao's speech. But now… Sakura glimpsed a bit of the sadness that had so often witnessed in Kenshin's eyes.

Unconsciously, Syaoran squeezed Sakura's hand harder. His jaw set, he muttered, "Good. That's one thing that's gone right since this whole Meiji era mess."

 _Syaoran-kun…_ Sakura frowned, upset that his anger outweighed his ability to perceive Aoshi's suffering.

* _This was cut because the scene was too chaotic and long.*_

* * *

Chapter 21

* _This takes place right after the above scene_ _. This is a very different take on the Saitō meanwhile in which_ _Saitō explains to Kenshin about Shishio's plans and Sano has his big entrance in Kyoto. In the original,_ _Saitō was upset because his office was trashed (remember the incompetent officer?)*_

Steeping the pads of his fingers together, Saitō resisted the urge to violently kill the buffoon dancing around in front of him.

"Hey, Saitō," Sano said while spinning around like a drunkard. "When's Kenshin coming?"

Saitō was sitting behind his desk in his office at the main police headquarters in Kyoto. As was typical of his foolish tenancies, Sano was asking annoying and pointless questions. Questions that he had already answered five minutes ago. _Of course_ , Saitō thought with a snort. _I can't expect his tiny brain to remember the last five_ seconds _._

Knowing the moron would only persist in asking until his question was answered, Saitō informed him, "I am expecting Battōsai to arrive soon."

"What?" Sano asked, confused.

 _Case and point._ Saitō shook his head. _I should just throw him with the other nut cases and lock him up._

 _*Cut because too similar to the original. Saito interrogates Cho about Shishio and his plan. Learning about Shishio's plan to set fire to Kyoto, Saito goes to the Aoi-Ya to talk to Kenshin.*_

Saitō had immediately left for the Aoi-Ya, hoping he would find Kenshin within. Judging by the angry and upset faces on everyone gathered inside the entrance, Saitō deduced something huge had just occurred. Also, Saitō was more than a little surprised to see Kenshin's lover and her brattish student present. Saitō smirked. _Guess she decided that she couldn't live without him. And if Battōsai hasn't sent her packing yet, concerned for her safety, then he must be unable to live without her, either._ Saitō shook his head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking such things.

 _*Cut because too similar to the original. Saito asks Kenshin to come to the police station to discuss things, but because Kenshin is still injured from his fight with Aoshi, Kenshin tells Saito he will meet the officer there.*_

Interrupting the duo, Saitō grunted, "Fine. I'll be waiting for you at the station. Don't be late, Battōsai." With his message delivered, Saitō returned to the station, intending on waiting for Kenshin in his office. However, one of his many incompetent officers came rushing towards him the moment he entered the building.

"Chief! Earlier a man came to the front desk and was asking to meet you!"

Saitō took a drag of his cigarette. "Is he waiting outside my office?"

"No, sir! He looked suspicious, sir, so we locked him up, sir!"

 _Moron._ Saitō growled. " _Ahō_." Regardless of his annoyance, Saitō couldn't fault him for being overly cautious with Shishio's men on the loose. But if he turned out to just be some stupid punk off the streets pranking the police and wasting everyone's time, Saitō was going to imprison his officer personally. Still, if they _were_ connected to Shishio…

"Show me," ordered Saitō.

The officer led the way to prison. Prisoners sneered from their cells that lined the walls. It became darker and smellier the further the two traveled. Eventually the officer turned around to face Saitō, key in hand. Shadows crisscrossed his face as he whispered, "It's here."

Saitō peered into the dark cell. A man slumped on the wooden bench in the back of the cell. Upon hearing the men approach, he slowly lifted his head. What Saitō saw made his stomach curl with disgust.

It was the _thug_ who was Kenshin's "friend".

"Hey, Saitō. Miss me?" Sano grinned.

Saitō spun on his heel and walked away.

"Hey! Don't leave me here!"

After much hassle, in which Sano constantly complained about everything from the crappy food to the crappy crap hole in the corner of his cell and Saitō praised the officer for locking Sano up which made Sano whine even more, Saitō and Sano entered Saitō's office. Not even offering Sano a seat, Saitō sat behind his desk and pulled out some unfinished work of his.

"Hey, Saitō," Sano said while spinning around like a drunkard. "When's Kenshin coming?"

Saitō sighed, squelching the urge to kill Sano. He answered Sano's question and resumed working. For the next ten minutes Saitō had been forced to play the role of a parent babysitting a child that refused to leave his things alone.

Sano first ambled over the large and very stuffed bookcase in the corner of the room. "Wow, look at all these books." Sano chuckled to himself. "As if you actually can read, you just have all this stuff here to make you look important, which then actually makes you look stupid."

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Saitō picked up a stack of papers and made a small show of _reading_ them.

Quickly growing bored with filling through books he could read, Sano tossed a book onto the ground and moved onto something else. He passed a table situated in front of the desk that was covered with maps. He mumbled something like, "A bunch of scribbles," before turning to the wall. Mounted on the wall was a gun set on display. Admiring it, Sano cooed, "Ooh. That's a big gun. Though, you know, people who rely on guns instead of their fists or swords are weak." Saitō didn't look up from the paperwork he was reading; it would be too much of a bother to do so. Sano reached out a hand towards it. "Hey, is this thing loaded?"

Saitō slammed his hands down on the desk, causing Sano to jump and pull his hand away from the gun. Timid, Sano looked over at Saitō expectantly. Saitō flipped through some papers before saying in a calm voice, "If you want to know so badly, I can point it at you and pull the trigger. If it was loaded, it would rid the world of one less buffoon."

Sano shouted something about one day Saitō would respect him, but Saitō ignored him. The day Saitō would respect that baboon was the day Kenshin stopped using ' _sessha_ '.

A knock on the door interrupted their argument. After Saitō bade them enter, a young officer opened the door. "Chief! Himura Kenshin has just arrived."

Saitō nodded. "Send him in here immediately." With a bow, the man left. Sano headed towards the door. Irritated with Sano's antics, Saitō almost snapped, "Where are you going?"

Sano gave Saitō a look that asked if he was stupid. "Uh… duh. Isn't it obvious? It's been like years since we saw each other or I had any attention. This is my big chance to make an impression with a dramatic entrance!"

Saitō's eyebrow twitched. Sano was more of a simpleton than he thought.

Seeing Saitō's expression, Sano complained, "Oh, don't you give me that, Mister 'I'll deny everything you are', Battōsai. Plus you had a whole disguise to unveil and everything."

Saitō sighed, giving up. He indifferently flipped the ends of a stack of papers. "I suppose then it would be impossible for you to show me up in the dramatic entrances department, hm?"

"Exactly-Wait, no!" Ticked, Sano pointed his finger at Saitō and declared, "I'll show you! …Or that is, actually, Kenshin!" he added belatedly.

The sounds of footsteps down the hall set Sano scurrying outside the office. A minute later Kenshin shut the office door behind him. No greeting passing his lips, Kenshin walked up to Saitō's desk. Saitō was a little surprised that he didn't hear Sano's voice in the hallway, stopping Kenshin before he entered the office. Perhaps he was still waiting for the "perfect" time to reveal himself. Whatever. _At the very least, things will be easier to explain without him here._

Without looking up, Saitō asked, "Where's the girl? I thought she was your shadow."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes at Saitō, his hands becoming fists. "Do you really take this one to be so stupid as to bring her here? The very heart of the place that houses officials wishing to hunt her down to use her as bait? This one thinks not, that he does, so don't play games, Saitō."

 _No, "this unworthy one" does think quite highly of "your unworthy oneness", that I really, truly do._ Saitō thought with a sneer. If only he would drop the stupid " _sessha_ " people might respect him more, including Saitō. _And yet…_ Saitō chuckled. When pushed, it seemed the rurouni had a bit of edge to him.

 _*Cut because too similar to the original. They discuss Shishio's plans to set fire to Kyoto. In the original RK series, right after this conversation, Sano, Saito, and Kenshin take a carriage to go to Osaka to stop the Rengoku.*_

Kenshin nodded, determination and purpose lighting up his eyes. "Of course." Spinning on his heel, Kenshin ran towards the door. "This one shall rally the Oniwabanshū at once." Kenshin reached the door and opened it. With one foot out the door, Kenshin stopped. He turned to Saitō, a dark gleam in his eyes. "Saitō… we can't fail. This is Shishio's show of power, his first step in igniting a fiery revolution that could equal or surpass the amount of violence in the Bakumatsu. To ensure that no one will could ever come close to defeating him…" Kenshin gripped the door frame with one hand until his knuckles grew white. " _…he will use magic._ "

Saitō closed his eyes, resignation filling him. He whispered, "Then the police shall be like lambs to a slaughter."

Kenshin looked straight ahead. His voice was oddly laced with anger and regret as he stated, "No. There is still one person who may help. He has kept far too much information from us, far too many secrets."

Intrigued, Saitō took a step forward and raised his hand towards Kenshin. He wanted to halt Kenshin and question him about who he was talking about but it was too late. Kenshin flung himself out the door, gi and hakama flapping and fists clenched at his sides. From outside the sun's rays caught Kenshin's flying red hair, making it appear as though it was on fire. The low tremor of his voice resounded through the room as Kenshin declared,

"The time for answers is nigh."

"Hiya! Miss me?"

A fist slammed Kenshin's jaw, sending Kenshin reeling. Kenshin stumbled back into the wall. Looking up, his eyes went wide. "S-Sano…?"

Saitō shook his head, disappointed. _Really? The same line he gave me? So much for that dramatic entrance._

Sano cracked his knuckles, expression serious. "And if you think you were going anywhere without me I'll prove just how wrong you are."

Kenshin blinked. "But this one was just going to return to the Aoi-Ya…"

All of the fervor drained out of Sano and his arms went limp. "Oh. So you aren't, like, going to do some crazy and suicidal by trying to stop Shishio's plans by yourself?"

Kenshin paused. He shook his head.

"Or taking a carriage to the ports?"

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Why would this one do that?"

"Or… or… going as if in flight?"

Kenshin gave Sano an incredulous look. Saitō wondered, _Has he lost his mind?_

Sano mumbled angrily to himself, "Stupid kids have screwed everything up." Punching his fist into his other hand, Sano shouted, "Yeah, well! I'm just ticked off that you left Tokyo without me, _bakayarō_! …Is all I wanted to say."

"Yes, um… this one is happy to see you, too …that he is."

 _*This was cut for two main reasons. Although funny, the scene was too long and complicated and Sano acts a little too dumb. Sano's line about stupid kids messing everything up is a sort of fourth wall breaking-Sakura and Syaoran's magic have interfered with the normal plot of the RK series.*_

* * *

Chapter 22

 _*This scene occurs shortly after the above. Saito, Kenshin, and Sano return to the Aoi-Ya to get Kero to spill his secrets about magic, in hopes that the knowledge can save Kyoto against Shishio. Everyone includes Kaoru, Sakura, Syaoran, Misao, and all of the Oniwabanshu. It does not include Aoshi.*_

Everyone turned to Kero, their expression ranging from concern to open hostility. However Saitō just chuckled. He played with a cigarette in his hand as he said, "There's no need to be so dramatic, Battōsai. I already told you, I'll kill him if he doesn't cooperate."

"What?!" Misao snarled, a dozen daggers in her hands in a blink of an eye. The other onmitsu also bared their weapons and stepped forward towards Saitō. Misao yelled, "How dare you threaten Sun Guardian-sama?! Those who do deserve death!"

Saitō raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I heard that this Shinomori Aoshi had attacked Battōsai and, presumably the girl as well, and yet he seemed alive to me when I came here earlier."

Misao hesitated, confusion and pain flashing across her face. "Well that… that's because…"

Saitō threw his head back and laughed. "Some Okashira you are!"

Misao snarled and lunged herself at Saitō. Kaoru rushed forward, seized her wrist, and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Misao-chan, get ahold of yourself!" When Misao continued to resist against Kaoru's hold, Kaoru turned her head to Sano and cried, "Sano, come on and help me."

To Sakura's surprise, Sano crossed his arms and leaned back. "Nah, I don't think so, Missie. I mean, I don't want Kero dead, of course, but we've been through hell with all this magic stuff because Kero hasn't warned us."

Kaoru stared at Sano, shocked. "S-Sano?"

"Please!" Sakura shouted, growing extremely upset. "Don't fight! I'm sure Kero-chan has a good reason…" But Sakura's pleas were drowned out by the other angry cries and shouts.

"You'll pay in hell for what you've done!"

"Just how exactly is Shishio planning to burn Kyoto?"

"I look forward to it, weasel."

"Expose magic to the world? How can we stop him?"

"I said calm down! Stop acting up! This is ridiculous."

"Don't worry, it's not too late. We can still think of something, Tsubame."

"Get your hands off or so help me!"

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone froze. Slowly everyone turned their heads towards Kero. Kero's paw was raised in the air, his teeth gnashed together, and his tail flicked irately behind him. Sakura had never seen him look angrier. For the first time, Sakura was a little frightened of him.

Kero swallowed several large gulps of air, settling down. He crossed his arms and sat Indian style in the air. "Whoever…" Kero said in a deceptively calm voice, "…said that I was opposed ta telling yas about magic?"

 _*I like this scene, but I ditched it because the scene was too long. I cut all the crazy rapid fire dialogue between the characters in this scene and in the scene when Kenshin, Sakura, Kaoru, Kero, and Syaoran return to the Aoi-Ya after Kenshin trained with Hiko.*_

* * *

Chapter 22

 _*This scene would have taken place in the middle of Kero's long explanation about the secrets of the Clow Cards and Clow Reed's spell.*_

"Why…?" Kenshin asked, more saddened than angry, "Why did even then you refuse to tell this one of the Clow Cards?"

"Well, that's because…" Kero put a paw to his face and sighed wearily. "Kenshin, ya have ta try ta understand… I was, I was scared. The events leading up ta the possible end of the world was just confirmed before my eyes. And… that meant that by keeping my secrets about the Clow Cards from yas could have unintentionally set the disaster in motion. That my actions… could have led to the end of the world. I was terrified. I took out my emotions on you. By thinking and claiming that I was right in withholding information on the Clow Cards from you, I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't the cause of the disaster occurring. But looking back…" Kero shook his head. "It is my fault and Kenshin, everyone, I am deeply sorry." Kero landed on the ground and bowed, or at least as much as he could being so tiny. "There is nothing that I can do ta make it up to ya'll. But if you could possibly find it within you ta try ta understand my point of view or my feelings, then I would be eternally grateful."

The room grew silent as they watched and judged Kero. No one spoke a word.

"Kerberos, who caused the disaster doesn't matter. And besides, it's Shishio's fault more than yours. But what really matters is moving forward. How you are going to help stop this disaster and protect Sakura and the world matters more." Syaoran turned to Kenshin and smiled, the first smile Sakura had seen Syaoran give Kenshin. " _Ne_?"

Kenshin smiled warmly in return. " _Aa_ , Li-kun speaks the truth, that he does. So stand up tall, Kero. Or, er, fly."

Sakura glanced between Kenshin and Syaoran. _Did something happen between the two of them? Are they not fighting anymore?_ Sakura smiled, relieved. _I'm so glad…_

"That's right," Kaoru said. "You may be annoying, but I know that you love Sakura-chan too much and this world to not have done everything you thought was best at the time. So we forgive you."

Yahiko grinned. "We're all in this together, after all. There's no going back."

Kero straightened and smiled halfheartedly as though he still wasn't convinced of everyone's feelings. Regardless, he continued anyway. "Thank you, guys. But I feel I owe yas an explanation on why I didn't tell anyone about this before. It's because I didn't want any of yas ta become involved with the disaster. It's the Cardcaptor and my responsibility ta handle such a magical disaster."

" _No_ ," Kenshin said harshly in a low voice.

Something warm gripped Sakura's hand. Kenshin's hand. Puzzled, Sakura looked up to see Kenshin staring at Kero with his jaw set and eyes angry. _Nii-chan…? What's wrong?_

"It is not just Sakura-chan's duty to do anything on her own. She has all of us, that she does. She is never alone. Kero, you've waited for this and now here it is: Until his last dying breath, this one swears to do all in his ability to help Sakura-chan seal the Clow Cards and return her, you, and Li-kun home in the future."

Sakura's eyes grew wide and filled with tears. She choked, "Ken-nii…?" She blinked rapidly several times, and tried to calm breathing and eccentric heartbeat. It took her a few moments to realize that everyone was watching her. Kaoru and Tsubame nodded and smiled at her, Yahiko and Sano looked determined to face the upcoming challenge, Misao grinned, winked, and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up, the gleam in the other ninjas' eyes revealed that they would be more than willing to give up their life for her, and Saitō looked bored. Aoshi sat in the corner, his expression neutral and saying nothing.

Beside her Syaoran struggled to say, "Th… Thank you, everyone. It means so much to me and Sakura and…" Choruses of "Of course" and "You got it!" rang throughout the room, drowning out Syaoran's words.

Shaking slightly, Sakura turned her head to look at Kenshin. He was smiling down at Sakura with such warmth… and the love in his eyes reminded Sakura when he said that he loved her, that she was his little sister. She had a family here that loved her, and would do anything to make her smile. In that moment all of the fear Sakura felt at the upcoming disaster slipped away, replaced with a happiness that she couldn't even begin to put to words. She couldn't speak past the large lump constricting her throat.

Saitō's sharp voice cut through the moment. "I didn't come here for the warm fuzzies and hugs, I came here to learn how to kill Shishio. Now hurry up and get on with it."

Sakura chuckled sheepishly to herself. It was partly her fault things had gone astray from such an important topic and… Kenshin leaned down towards Sakura's ear and whispered something. Surprised, Sakura blinked and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Please," he pleaded. "For this one."

Sakura smiled, amused. She turned to Saitō, put her finger below her eye and pulled down her bottom eyelid, and stuck out her tongue at Saitō. "Biffffffttt!"

Saitō looked a little started by Sakura's completely unexpected reaction and decidedly childish behavior. Everyone laughed. Even Aoshi had a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Well, the cigarette man has a point," Kero acquiesced his smile disappearing. Saitō gnashed on the cigarette in his mouth in response, muttering incoherent things about a yellow monster.

 _*This was cut, as I'm sure you can guess, because the scene was too long. It was nine pages if I remember correctly. Way too long. And it takes away from the importance of Kero's explanations of Clow Reed's spell._

* * *

Chapter N/A

 _*This paragraph would have taken place anytime after Kenshin and Kaoru reunite during the fight against Aoshi. Kenshin tells himself that he was happy without Kaoru.*_

At least, that's what Kenshin told himself, but in truth, he had been completely miserable. The more he had pushed Kaoru-dono from his mind, preoccupying himself with Sakura, Misao, and learning the secret from Hiko, the more the image of Kaoru persisted. It persisted until he saw her again. Kenshin couldn't deny how his heart leaped in joy when he first saw Kaoru. And yet… what did Kaoru think she would accomplish by following him to Kyoto? She couldn't defeat Shishio; she would only be a target. While Kenshin was a lowly rurouni who had no authority, Kenshin had specifically ordered Kaoru to remain at the dojo, safe from harm. She had deliberately disobeyed Kenshin as though his wishes didn't matter to her. Kenshin's blood pressure rose at the thought. However, his conflicted feelings towards Kaoru were thrown aside, replaced by a fierce possessive protectiveness when Kenshin saw Kaoru was under attack.

 _*I couldn't place it within the story so, while I liked it, I cut it.*_

* * *

Chapter 26, 27, 28

 _*This ugh... This is what happens when I ask my friend to edit my stuff for me. They added what was bolded. It takes place during the fight against Shishio.*_

Shishio opened his mouth as wide as a shark. Silva and spittle flew from his mouth. Without warning, Shishio grabbed Kenshin's head and violently hauled the rurouni towards Shishio. With one last gleam of smile, Shishio sunk his teeth into Kenshin, at the junction between Kenshin's neck and shoulder. **Om nom, nom.** **Chicken.**

 _*Moving on to the next part my friend edited...*_

"Feh." Shishio spat out the piece of Kenshin's gi that he had in his mouth. Smiling, he wiped his lips free of Kenshin's blood. "Nasty. Neither poison nor medicine. **Your blood was more like that peptobismol crap Hōji would spoon-fed me when I was a little mummy.** "

"Ken-nii!" Sakura ran towards Kenshin's side, Kero on her heels. The Cardcaptor knelt by Kenshin's head, examining the bite wound with a mixture of guilt and nausea. **She should have taken some of that 'peptobismol' Shishio warned them about.**

 _*Moving on to the next part my friend edited...*_

Shishio raised his hand palm up in front of him. His whole frame shook as he laughed. He threw his head back and screamed, "I will be a _god_!"

Hōji clapped for Shishio, tears streaming down his face. "Bravo, Shishio-sama! Bravo! All of the people in the world shall bow in fear before you!" **_Oh god I hope I get a pay raise then!_**

 _*Moving on to the next part my friend edited...*_

Hōji laughed in the face of the misery. "Marvelous, Shishio-sama! I never would have thought to put gunpowder in your gauntlet. And to kill Battōsai before even unleashing any _ōgi_ -"

"Silence, coward!" Shishio roared. Hōji was stunned into silence. **_Now I… I won't be paid…!_** Waving his burning sword in front of him, Shishio intoned, "It is as they say. It's not over yet."

 _*Moving on to the next part my friend edited...*_

Hōji ducked at the force of the wind. "Shishio-sama, the elements are getting worse. If this battle drags on for much longer, there won't be a world to enslave-"

"For the last time, Hōji. Silence." Shishio hissed. **_I JUST WANT MY GODDAMN PAY._**

 _*Moving on to the next part my friend edited...*_

In her battle with Shishio, Sakura used all of the magic she had left within her. Despite her friends helping her, their combine magic spanning miles, Sakura had no magic left at all. But Shishio did. And because of that… **Hōji would never get his pay raise, dammit.**

 _*Moving on to the next part my friend edited...*_

Kenshin exhaled, "The flow of time connecting the past, the present, and the future… has not allowed Shishio to continue. Time has chosen which man will survive."

"No! This can't be! Shishio-sama is the winner!"

Kenshin's, Sakura's, and Kero's heads snapped up to see a raving Hōji. "Shishio-sama is incapable of losing! **And my wallet is too! He owes me for buying him candy! THERE'S FIVE YEN I'LL NEVER SEE AGAIN!** " He ran past the trio, crying, "If you all die, then there is no victor! If you all die, Shishio-sama remains invincible! **AND MY WALLET TOO! I WILL BECOME HŌJI CAPTOR, MASTER OF MONEY! HAHAHAHAHA!** "

 _*...Do I really need to say why I didn't have this in the story? My friend insisted that I add this to this bonus chapter so here it is. Honestly, I don't even know if what they added is in the right order...*_

* * *

Chapter 31

 _*This is the long, and slightly similar at times to the original story, original unedited "hope" section after Kenshin, Kaoru, Kero, and Syaoran died. I wouldn't care so much if you skipped this because everyone talking to Sakura and giving her hope is similar to the original-it's just longer.*_

Sakura went rigid. _I know that voice!_ And with the realization, the world seemed to fade away, turning into an endless expanse of white. It was almost like Sakura had been using a powerful spell, entering the magic's world of darkness. Only this time, it was white, not black. Sakura looked around frantically, but she didn't see anyone apart from herself. _Where… where am I?_

 _You are in a place deep within your soul, a place where there is no past, present, or future. A place where the laws of reality do not abide._

Again Sakura stiffened upon hearing the voice. She didn't want it to be true. Because no matter what was happening now that didn't change the reality that they were gone. Seeing them again would be rubbing salt in an already fatal wound. Sakura sighed, thinking, Best get this over with _,_ as she turned around to see her old friend.

 _A place where magic begins_ , Kero elucidated, his words ending with a note of finality.

Kero appeared without blood or any dirt or filth of any kind; he wasn't even in his true form. If Sakura didn't know better, she would have said Kero was alive. But he wasn't. This was just a cruel, demented trick her mind was playing on her. And Sakura wasn't having any part of it. She whipped around, turning her back towards Kero. Trying to contain her tremors, Sakura hugged herself and bit her lip.

 _Sakura…_ Kero breathed, filled with empathy. _Don't be like this… Where's my happy, bubbly Sakura?_

She died, Sakura thought bitterly, She died along with all of you. I'll never be happy ever again. But Sakura kept these thoughts within her, ignoring Kero.

 _I can't imagine or understand your pain, but you have to wake up. You're…_ Kero paused, his voice infinitely sad, sad that things had progressed into this. _You're hurting people._

And yet Sakura didn't feel a speck of remorse. However, deep down within Sakura, a part of her marveled in fear at what she had become. With a minute shake of her head, Sakura dismissed it. She refused to give into it-they had killed everyone she loved and prevented her from returning home again. All the pain and fear she was inflicting on them would never even come close to the agony Sakura was experiencing.

 _Don't you remember Kamiya Kasshin-ryū? Red head's sakabatō? They would want you to protect the weak. It's our duty._

 _Duty? Duty?!_ Wheeling around to Kero, Sakura shouted, _They didn't do their basic human duty of helping another when they killed you! When they killed Ken-nii, Syaoran-kun, and Kaoru onee-san! When they made it so I can't go home again!_

Kero flew slightly lower, as though the weight of the world was bringing him down. _Yes, but it is your duty as a Cardcaptor to control your emotions and your magic, to keep the world's magical balance and protect its people._

Sakura jerked back as though slapped. _I-I…_ Searching for something to say, Sakura retorted, _Well, why should I do that when no one else will?_

 _That is precisely why: because no one else will do it. No one else can be the Cardcaptor._ You _have been chosen, you have answered the call and said you would be a Cardcaptor. That role lasts a lifetime, no matter what happens, no matter how tragic._

 _W-Well…_ Sakura sputtered.

Kero stared deep into Sakura's eyes, locking her feet in place. There was no running away from him or from his words. _Are you going to forsake being a Cardcaptor?_

Not be the Cardcaptor anymore? That just didn't seem possible. She had been capturing Clow Cards and overcoming impossible obstacles, Sakura honestly couldn't remember what her life was like before taking on the role. Years of extending her greatest effort to be the best Cardcaptor, all the trust and bonds that had formed because she was the Cardcaptor… could she really throw that away?

 _Please, Sakura, the last thing I want you to do is to give up being the Cardcaptor because I failed in_ my _duties to protect you._

W-What Kero-chan wants… Sakura thought, trembling, I should… I should… do what he wants right? But… Visions of Kero dying flooded her mind. Sakura gripped her upper arms with so much strength that they bruised. Throwing her head up, Sakura cried, _But how can I be a Cardcaptor without you?!_ Kero stared impassively at her. Hanging her head, Sakura let the tears flow. _H-How… How do I live without all of you…? I don't want to… I don't want to…_

 _You aren't living without us. For we are always by your side…_

 _That voice…_ Sakura looked up to see Kaoru standing some distance in front of her. For once, the two weren't bickering as Kero settled on her left shoulder. As with Kero, not a hint of the chaos before her death was present. Her dark eyes seemed to extrude a command for peace, like she was a goddess delivering a message of a ceasefire after a long, bloody war. Although no one had said a word, a sense of calm began to take a hold of her heart, her tears slowing down.

Kaoru titled her head and smiled warmly at Sakura _…and always in your heart._

 _What?_ Sakura repeated, confused. _What do you mean? Just how are you all here?_

 _We are in your soul_ , Kaoru explained. _The bonds we created when we all helped you defeat Shishio-they haven't gone anywhere. Nor have we. We remain in your heart and soul forever, Sakura-chan._

 _My heart…? My soul?_ Sakura asked. This all seemed too surreal to be real. Had she died along with everyone else, perhaps?

As if Kaoru could read Sakura's thoughts, Kaoru adamantly shook her head. _No, Sakura-chan, you're not dead. Don't even think such a horrible thing._

 _But…_ What was Sakura supposed to think? What was she supposed to do?!

Kaoru's eyes softened; however, her voice was serious as she asserted, _Before you lies a choice. You can give into your sorrow, and let your despair inadvertently destroy the world. In doing so, you will be ignoring your duty as a Cardcaptor by betraying the people who you are supposed to protect. Or you can do as you have always done: embrace the light of hope which will give you the courage to do the impossible. By believing in yourself, and in those around you, you will learn how to overcome any tragedy._

 _Hope…?_ The word felt alien to Sakura. _Believe in those around me?_ Putting her hands on her ears, Sakura shook her head. _You can't ask me… I can't…_

 _Sakura-chan, you must never, ever forget this: no matter what happens you are not alone. All of us, our memories, our hopes and dreams, they live on in you, in your heart. You must let those memories be the source of your strength, not your weakness. Rise above your despair and have hope again. Do you understand?_

A part of Sakura wanted to scream, No! I don't understand! I don't understand anything! But when Sakura looked into Kaoru's eyes and saw such determination to convey her message to her, Sakura tried to calm down and let the words sink in. _I am… never alone… You are always in… my heart…_

Kaoru beamed. _Yes, that's right!_ Placing a hand on Sakura's head, Kaoru happily said, _Remember that, and you'll never go wrong._

In a natural response to Kaoru patting Sakura's head, Sakura closed her eyes. Her tears had stopped momentarily and her frown had lessened, however doubts still plagued her mind. _But… even if I'm not alone, how can I rise above my despair? What if… What if I'm not strong enough?_

 _Then you have to believe in yourself. Believe in yourself like I have always done._

Sakura opened her eyes to behold Syaoran standing aside Kaoru, smiling gently at her. _Well, almost always._ Syaoran chuckled **.** _In the beginning, I was pretty jealous of you._

 _S-S-Syaoran-kun…_ Sakura whimpered. And the tears returned with a vengeance.

The faint smile disappeared from Syaoran's face. _Sakura, please don't cry because of me. When you cry, I feel like crying. And, like Kaoru-san said,_ Syaoran added, his smile returning, _we're in your heart, so when you smile, I smile, too. Can you… can you smile for me?_

Syaoran-kun is asking me to something for him… Sakura thought. A thousand and one reasons why Sakura shouldn't-couldn't-smile flashed across her mind in an instant. But, Sakura thought, is there any reason why I shouldn't do something for Syaoran-kun? Silence. Knowing what that meant, Sakura closed her eyes against the tears that were welling up. And although it was so hard, so, so hard, Sakura forced out, _I'll… I'll try._

Syaoran smiled warmly. _Good._

 _Listen, Sakura._ Syaoran continued, _Don't listen to the doubts you have. I have never met anyone stronger than you. And that strength isn't just because you're the best magician, it's because you have the power to light up people's worlds, changing their lives forever._

Stunned, Sakura froze. _I have… what?_

 _Do you know why Tomoyo and everyone always say a smile suits you best? It's because when you smile, the happiness of your soul shines through any darkness. It encourages others when they are at their lowest, reminding them that they're always better tomorrow. You-you changed my life, Sakura. You showed me the power of kindness, of love. And it's not just me, it's your older brother, older sister, Yahiko, Misao-san, Aoshi… everyone you meet you give them little pieces of happiness. Everyone's lives are better after they've met you._

 _S-Syaoran-kun…_ Tears streamed down Sakura's face; she was completely overwhelmed by the high praise from Syaoran.

 _So when you think you are too sad to smile, I'll smile for you in your heart, and that'll keep the sadness away. If you remember that, then even when your doubts come back… they won't matter anymore. If you keep on smiling, then someday, you'll be happy again._

Swallowing, Sakura tried to piece together what her friends were telling her. _So… I have a choice, a choice to ignore my duties as Cardcaptor or to continue fighting… to fight and rise above my sadness… And I can get the strength from that by_ , Sakura looked up and smiled the faintest of smiles at them, _remembering that you smile when I do._

Syaoran and Kaoru nodded, while Kero said, _Yes._

 _But…_ Sakura wondered. _If I overcome my sadness_ -a feat so seemingly impossible, Sakura couldn't believe she was saying it- _then that means… the vortex the Nothing created would be gone, right?_

Kero nodded, _It was born from your despair. If you can match its negative emotions with an equally as strong hope, then it will disappear like it had never existed._

Sakura frowned. _But then, everyone will be saved… the people who killed you, the people who shot at me…_ Vigorously shaking her head, Sakura exclaimed, _I don't want to hurt people. I want to, I always wanted to believe that deep down people, no matter who they were or what they had done, were good. But I never knew… I never imagined people could do such horrible things._ Lifting her head, tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she hugged herself. She asked a question she felt she had asked a million times since traveling to the Meiji Era. _Why do people do evil things?_

Suddenly Sakura felt a warm presence on her shoulder. Gasping, Sakura looked down to see a hand. _That's because they do not have hope._

Hearing a new voice, Sakura glanced up to see that the owner of the hand: Kenshin. He smiled down at her, but Sakura could see the pain behind his eyes. It was a look that was so very much Kenshin that Sakura couldn't help but smile in return.

At the sight of Sakura smiling, Kenshin's smile turned real, and some of the sadness clouding his eyes lifted. However, his eyes darkened as he continued, _Sakura-chan, people can do all forms of evil, trust this one, he knows. The possible reasons why they would commit such atrocities to each other rivals the number of stars in the sky. But it all boils down to their lack of hope._

 _If someone does not have hope that the future can be brighter, if they do not have hope that the world can change for the better or they can become a better person, then they despair. With no belief in the goodness of the outside world, or the innate goodness of themselves, they feel no reason to do good deeds to another. Following this path, they fall deep into an endless pit, where the light of the sun does not shine. Evil thrives there. It takes root in their heart and does not let them go._

Sakura listened to Kenshin with rapt attention, as though her life depended on his words. _Yes… if a person doesn't have hope or believe in their goodness, they despair and do evil. Yes, that makes sense._ A strange feeling began to fill Sakura at hearing the answer she had been so desperately seeking. Suddenly, she felt a thousand pounds lighter, as though she wouldn't have needed the Fly Clow Card in order to soar into the air.

Straightening, Kenshin removed his hand from Sakura's shoulder. Falling back into a line with Syaoran and the others, Kenshin explained, _People who do evil are without hope. Sakura-chan, it is up to you to decide for yourself if people who do evil are irredeemable or if given enough hope they will change for the better. You must decide if you should regain your hope and believe in the goodness of humanity._

 _Believe in the goodness… of humanity…_ Sakura closed her eyes. If she followed down that path… Sakura felt like she was on the cusp of something huge. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sakura pushed past her anxiety and opened her eyes. _If I do as you say, then what about…?_

 _*My friend read this and said that it was too long and repetitive. They also really wanted Yue to be in it, so I scrapped this. In writing the original version of this, I ended up having everyone say shorter versions of what they said here because one, I liked it and two, my brain was too fired to think of anything else.*_

* * *

Chapter 32

 _*This is yet another piece of my friend. This is what happens when my friend insists on reading something when I haven't finished it.*_

Kaoru released the two of them, then stood, wiping her eyes. Sakura turned to face Kenshin, the only one left. He hung back, away from everyone else. With his head hanging dejectedly, Sakura couldn't read his eyes. However, judging by his trembling fists and the hard set of his jaw, he was hurting. Seeing him in such a state left Sakura holding back her own tears. Slowly, she walked up to him. When she was directly below him, Sakura tilted her head back and asked, "Nii-chan…?"

Kenshin stumbled. "Sakura-chan…" Putting his hand to his chest, Kenshin sucked in a shaky breath. "T-This one…" Kenshin fell over face-first onto the pavement with a lifeless thud. Blood seeped out from under him as screams and gasps filled the air. "…Will always… love you…"

Sakura stared in horror, a silent scream resounding loudly from her agape mouth. Putting her fists to her head, Sakura let out an unbelievable sound. The sound of pure agony. The sound of a child who didn't get their Frosted Flakes in the morning. The sound… of despair.

A huge swirling vortex appeared over the dojo. Behind her, Sakura's friends pointed and gasped as the vortex grew in chorus with Sakura's wails. The vortex swallowed the dojo like it was a Fruit Loop.

If the dojo was a Fruit Loop, then Sakura's friends were the milk. They attempted to run, some tripping and some crawling on the ground, but they too were taken in by the all-consuming vortex. Soon, if the vortex were left unattended to, there would be nothing left in the world.

There would be… Nothing.

Meanwhile, Yue sighed. "AGAIN?"

 _*My friend said they were proud that this imitated my style of writing. Well... you can be the judge of that. I personally think it's NOTHING like my writing style. Grumble, grumble...*_

* * *

Epilogue

 _*This deleted scene is from the first scene of the epilogue, right after Syaoran and Sakura mention they have a present for Kenji.*_

Remembering his promised gift, Kenji dug into the bag and pulled out a brightly decorated cone. At Kenji's puzzled face, Syaoran explained, "It's a birthday hat because you're turning three today. It goes on… like this. There we go. Looks great, doesn't it—"

Kenji immediately ripped the hat off his head and threw it towards the ground. He reached into the bag again. Everyone laughed.

"It's a good thing that wasn't your present," joked Syaoran. Shaking his head, Syaoran reached into the bag and pulled out yet another cone shaped object. However, colorful streamers dangled from the pointy end and the circle head was covered with a sheet. Offering it to Kenji, Syaoran said, "This is your present."

Kenji's brows furrowed in confusion as he accepted his gift. He played with the streamers with the fingers in one hand before drumming his fingers on the flat circular side. When he didn't discover anything fascinating, like all presents should be, Kenji glowered at Syaoran.

"This is how you use it." Syaoran reached for the streamers at the end of the cone. Just before Syaoran pulled on the streamers, Kenji tilted the flat end of the cone towards his face. Syaoran yanked on the streamers. The cone exploded in a colorful geyser of confetti in Kenji's face. Shocked, Kenji fell backwards on his bum, dropping the cone from his hand. Even Kaoru had jumped. Kenji looked around at the colorful bits on the ground around him, before his face scrunched up, like he was about to cry.

"Uh oh," Syaoran said, his own eyes going wide.

"Way ta go, kid," Kero snorted. "Ya had to do it in his face. That was a million times worse than what I did."

Kenji grabbed a fistful of confetti and tried to put it back into the cone. "You broke it!" He wailed. "You broke my present!"

Syaoran scrambled to soothe the child, "No, no, no. It's all right, Kenji. It was a popper, you see. And they're used on birthdays—"

"You broke my present!"

"Oh dear," Sakura sighed. She walked over to Kenji and scooped him up in her arms. "It's all right, Kenji. It's okay." Kenji stopped rubbing his eyes to lay his head on Sakura's shoulder, the first sign of him calming down. Sakura caught Kaoru's eye and the two smiled. Sakura stroked Kenji's back as she cooed, "That mean ol' popper won't hurt you."

Hearing Sakura's words, Syaoran frowned at Sakura. "You were the one to suggest we bring them."

"So that's why we got a ton of different things," Sakura countered with a smile.

Kenji immediately straightened. "More presents?"

"Kenji," Kaoru said, an edge of warning in her voice.

Sakura laughed, "But of course! So let's go outside and celebrate, huh?"

 _*I ended up getting rid of this because Sakura catching Kenji, something I came up with after I wrote this, is too similar to this. Originally I only had the whole popper incident to show Sakura's and Kenji's bond-that Sakura can comfort Kenji and calm him down.*_

* * *

 _*Just because... here are some typos that are, uh, better than the rest.*_

Closing her eyes, Sakura confidently walked away made her way away from Hōji and his men, making her way towards the kneeling Kenshin. "It's your choice, but…"

Laughter and the sounds the sound of clinking dishes rang through the air as everyone settled down for Kenji's birthday dinner.

* * *

I had a bunch of other ideas that I never typed up and never got into the story. The most noteworthy ones was Yahiko, along with Sano and Misao, plan a fake wedding for Syaoran and Sakura to get revenge for Syaoran making fun of Yahiko liking cheerleading. Another idea was that Syaoran spied Kenshin and Kaoru on the roof kissing each other. He would have shouted at them either, "Stop flirting, kidnapper!" or the sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g song. And Kenshin, so surprised, would have fallen off the roof. :) But alas, none of them made the cut.

Well, this is the very end of this fic. I hope you enjoyed reading it!


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